Two Broken Souls Heal Together
by Gloriosa Lily
Summary: Harry discovers a kindred soul when he rescues a young Naruto from a mob beating him. Will Konoha be ready for a Jinchuriki trained by the savior of the Wizarding world? Slash Eventually Harry/Zabuza
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

A large black eagle sailed through the sky above the high trees only to land on top of the highest one. It watched the village below sleep as the sun was slowly rising. The eagle sat there for hours as the village people woke up and started their work for the day. No one paid any attention to the black eagle, but if they had, they would have seen an intelligent glint in its shining green eyes. Perhaps they would have become suspicious, but as no one saw it, they continued without knowing they were being watched. The eagle stopped watching the people and stared for a while at the four heads, which were carved into the stone on the mountain beside the village. Again, if one looked closely one would have seen a stunned and awed expression on the its face, if one looked very, very closely of course.

Suddenly, the eagle took to the air and sailed towards the mountain. The bird took his time, enjoying being in the sky and the feeling of freedom it gave. Just as it sailed over a darkened alley, a pain filled cry reached the mysterious eagle. Unable to ignore what it had heard, the eagle flew towards the sound.

As it came closer, the bird saw about ten people gathered around something. Unable to see what it was, the eagle flew closer and spotted a patch of yellow and red. Instantly, the bird picked up the scent of blood and saw the yellow spot curl into itself. To the horror of the eagle, the yellow spot appeared to be a body of a 4 year old boy covered in his own blood. The village people screamed at the boy, and at the same time hit and kicked him without holding back.

The eagle dived towards the mass of people with a shriek and opened up it claws to use them against everything and everyone they could touch. The villagers screamed and tried to hit the attacking bird, but it was too fast for them. A couple of ninja launched some kunai, but again, the bird was too quick for any of them to hit.

The mass of people started to back away from the attacking bird, deciding to give up on torturing the demon child for the day. At last, the only ones left were the young boy and the now calm eagle. The boy whimpered and shuddered and the eagle knew that he had to do something otherwise the boy could die.

Slowly, the eagle transformed into a man the height of 5'7" with midnight black hair and glowing green eyes. The man got on his knees and held out a hand over the beaten boy's body in an attempt to heal him. As the man was doing this, the boy turned his face to the stranger and watched the man with unmasked fear in his eyes. The man noticed immediately and tried to soothe the boy.

"Shhh, it's okay, I won't hurt you. I'm only want to help you." The green eyed stranger held out his hand slowly again, showing the boy that he had no weapon and did not want to hurt him. He smiled gently and lowered his hand when the boy nodded and closed his eyes in exhaustion.

When the boy spoke, the stranger almost did not hear him because his voice was so weak and low. "Who are you?"

"Me?" the man replied, "My name is Harry Potter."

* * *

**So what do you think? Worth continue or what?**


	2. History

**Hello everyone! **

**Thanks for all the wonderful reviews I have gotten! I will try to keep the quality up and I'm sorry if the update is not regularly, but please be patient with me.**

**Just a warning to you all readers, it is going to contain _slash_ in the story. Not for a long time but at some point it will appear, that I can promise you.**

**This chapter has been looked over by my Betas, 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX' and '****no one of importance'****, give them a cheer for a wonderful work!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I wouldn't mind, of course, if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Learn life's great mystery, love, forgive and forget_

**Chapter 1**

"Normal speech"

'_Thinking'_

_"__Snake speech__"_

_**"Fawkes"**_

* * *

Harry Potter was officially bloody sick and tired of the wizard world altogether. After everything that had happened, Harry wanted nothing to do with them any longer. All he wanted was to get away from them, far away. But of course, when did anything happen when he wanted it to?

After the final battle in Hogsmeade against Voldemort and his Death Eaters, Harry wanted to be left alone. He had seen too much death, killed too many people and almost everyone he loved was gone. Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna and Sirius, all gone in battles, killed right in front of him.

He only had Remus left; but he had his wife, Tonks, and newborn son Teddy. A family of his own was the one thing Harry always wanted and wished for, from the minute he realized that the Dursleys wouldn't love him as a family should.

One would think that when he had fulfilled the prophecy that he would be left alone, but no. People stalked him when he ventured outside his house, so he stopped going out as much as possible, to avoid them. People sent owls with letters about marriage, blood adoption, parties and countless other things. In the end, Harry was forced to set up wards against owl mail, letting only those he'd approved in.

To make matters worse, the Daily Prophet wrote articles about countless interviews with Harry that had never taken place. They all wrote about his heroic deeds, and how he would always be there to save the day. But Harry wanted nothing of that; he just wanted to be left alone.

Harry would always blame himself for not finishing off Voldemort sooner. Maybe then he could have saved his loved ones. If he had begun his training earlier and worked harder maybe he could've protected them. But when Harry thought back on what happened, he realized that it was ridiculous. Ridiculous that the young boy he was then could have ever beaten the most powerful dark wizard, in over a century, all by himself.

No, Harry and his closest friends trained hard together, getting to know each other so well they could almost read each other's minds. They were his sisters and brothers, the family he'd always wanted but never could have. Ron and Neville were his brothers in all but blood, the same with Hermione and Luna. They were his sisters in every way that truly mattered.

They did everything together, fighting, spying, laughing and just living. They moved as one. When they graduated from Hogwarts, all of them moved in together and lived as a family in the Potter manor, which Harry had gotten control over when he had turned seventeen. The years together from age eighteen to Harry's twenty-first birthday, were the happiest he had ever experienced.

Sure, they trained and worked hard to become stronger, but their camaraderie and support let them know that they would be there for each other, which was such a wonderful feeling. As time went by, both Neville and Harry became quite good at wandless magic. Sadly, the others did not have enough magic to be able to use it themselves, but did not begrudge their success with it.

They set out to master the Animagus transformation and with diligence, unrelenting training, and studying, they finally mastered it after a year and a half. After that, they trained both in magic and in their animal forms. Because, to be able to fight in both seamlessly, with only a momentary pause switching between forms in battle, could give them a slight advantage if they found themselves in a sticky situation. Their animal forms meshed with both their personality and talents perfectly.

Ron transformed into an Irish setter; a large dog with a playful and happy demeanor, great endurance, but was still friendly and very sociable. Irish Setters, they learned, were often mistaken as being stupid because they were very stubborn. They all agreed, with the exception of Ron, that it fit him perfectly, though Ron was definitely quicker to anger and more aggressive than his Animagus form. Red streaks in the fur and blue eyes were the characteristics which colored Ron's animal transformation.

Hermione's form was the Australian Stock Horse, well known for their intelligence, courage, toughness, good stamina and calm temperament. It suited Hermione's personality very well. She absolutely loved being able to run fast in her form. The whole body of the animal was the exact color of Hermione's hair, something which made it easier for her to blend in with other animals, especially other horses, as brown is very ordinary color for horses.

Neville's form surprised them all, for he became a Cinnamon Bear. While most of these bears were black, Neville's form was dark brown. He quickly found a new fondness for honey and berries, which greatly amused the others because, before the completing the transformation, Neville loathed honey like the plague. These bears had a well-deserved reputation for their fierce protection of their offspring and highly aggressive tendencies when protecting them or feeling threatened. Their strength and aggression left few opponents without severe injuries or broken bones.

Luna quirky personality extended to her transformation. She became a clear, white Albino squirrel. Like all squirrels she was sneaky and inquisitive, she was also faster than most as her, and her coloring made her easily spotted by predators. Luna mostly transformed into her animal form when she wanted to play a prank or spy on anyone.

Harry's form was no surprise to any of them, he become a black eagle, also known by its scientific name _Ictinaetus malayensis. _They were birds of prey, meaning that they were predators that hunted their food, primarily from the air using their keen eyesight to spot prey. Because Harry's form had such good vision it automatically corrected his own, something he loved the best about his form. His form's talons and beak were extremely hard and sharp. His powerful wings effortlessly allowed him to stay aloft in the sky for several days if needed, with minimal energy expended. Harry's exotic emerald green eyes were the only feature marking him as a wizard in animal form rather than a true eagle.

They had everything worked out to destroy Voldemort. Nothing had been taken for granted or left to chance. They knew that if they failed, all of them would probably die. The day Sirius died taught Harry the price of making rash decisions and he had promised himself to never make that mistake again. Harry was not afraid to die, but he couldn't even think about it happening to the others without getting a gut wrenching feeling of despair. The thought of being left alone without his brothers and sisters seemed unbearable to him. They would always be his reason for living and fighting.

Their plan had worked, but at the last minute something had gone wrong. None of them had a spare moment to find out what exactly went wrong, but the result was devastating. It was a victory for the light and the end for Voldemort, but for Harry it was a personal failure and a tragedy. His family, his sisters and brothers, all died protecting him while he finished the spell that killed Voldemort.

The guilt and shame would never leave him for as long as he lived. Harry couldn't bear to witness the people that celebrated the fall of the darkest wizard in modern time. He saw no reason to feel happiness or joy. Harry felt an empty black hole in his chest and it constantly threatened to swallow him whole if he let his guard down.

**XXXXXXXXX**

Three years later, Harry found himself sitting on his black leather sofa in front of the open fire, which gave a soft glow as the heat from it warmed the room while he drank a glass of fire whiskey. It was three in the morning and he had woken from the usual nightmare. He had nightmares just about every night and he would wake in a cold sweat, his body shaking uncontrollably and tears flowing down his face.

It had been nine years since Sirius' death in the Department of Mysteries, but he still had nightmares about it, and it still shook him to the core. The guilt had not left him. Everyone had tried to tell him that it was not his fault, that he had just been a child at the time, but he could never truly believe them. That's what had woken him today and he felt too shaken up to sleep any longer. Instead, he thought back on his life, trying to remember when and where everything went downhill.

On his seventeenth birthday, he had inherited his family homes, Potter manor along with Grimmauld Place from Sirius, who had named him his heir, just in case. Money that had not been touched for years was suddenly his to use, and it was more than Harry could spend in four lifetimes.

He'd spent most of the past three years inside the manor, going out only to visit his friend's graves. He felt no need for company or to speak to anyone. A visit from Remus and his family was always welcomed, but Harry couldn't muster up any energy to pretend to be happy to see the small family so content with each other. They tried to get Harry to visit them at their home, just to get him out of the manor and to start living again, but he would always politely decline the offer.

It felt as if he was waiting for something to happen. Harry had no idea just what it was and it drove him insane, well more than he already was at least. He hated waiting; he wanted something to happen, just to feel something other than grief and depression. It felt as though he was waiting for someone to come, maybe it was his magic trying to tell him something. It had done many unfathomable things in his life before, so why not this time too?

In the last two years, the feeling had surged several times, and it left him feeling more and more confused. So he just stayed in the manor waiting for something to happen. Waiting to fight, waiting to live, waiting to die. How he hated waiting, he much preferred action to waiting. At least when one was moving, one did not have time for apprehension to sink in, for fear to take over or doubt to sink its claws into them. When one was on the move, all one needed to do was concentrate on the task at hand and nothing else. In battle one couldn't afford to think of anything else, one could only react.

The manor was smaller than the Malfoy's, but Harry wished it was even smaller, because without his friends and their voices in the manor, the echoing silence made it felt too big and lonely.

The whole house was protected with strong wards, both old ones, created at its foundation, and new ones he paid the goblins to add. All in all, Harry felt very safe in the manor, but he would never feel happy in it again. There were too many happy memories in it, and all of them made his heart ache just thinking about them.

The many rooms in the house had been decorated in various shades of red, yellow and deep green. If it was not so damn big, one could describe the atmosphere in the house as a homey, almost cozy, feeling.

The first floor had the kitchen in it, dining room, three offices, a salon and a sort of common room to gather in. On the second floor there were eight bedrooms and almost as many bathrooms, many which were connected to the bedchambers. The bedrooms all had king sized beds topped with silk sheets, huge pillows and goose down quilts. All of the rooms had large windows, making them light and airy. The library and study room were also located on the second floor. In the basement, there was a large fully stocked potions lab and a wine cellar.

Harry took a sip of his fire whiskey, feeling it burn as it made its way down his throat. He chuckled darkly to himself, Hermione had always nagged at him that he drank too much, not that it made him quit. He and Ron loved the fiery drink too much to stop drinking it. She should see him now. His long, dirty hair, which hung down his back, was uncombed and his eyes were bloodshot with weariness. The black trousers he wore with a grey sweater looked like they needed a good wash. He certainly didn't seem to fit his new title of Lord Potter, The-Man-Who-Lived.

He couldn't help but remember the final battle that took place in Hogsmeade almost three years ago. He could still hear the screams in his dreams, screams by both men and women as they were tortured and killed. The sight of the red stained ground, that reached to as far as he could see, and bodies lying everywhere tormented him constantly. Some of the bodies had faces he knew from school, some he'd never seen before. There were death eaters, students as young as fourteen and as old as nineteen. Order members, teachers, villagers and countless other uncounted dead and injured littered the ground. Much against his will, the last day he saw his chosen family alive and together replayed in his mind.

_*********Flashback*********_

_The Headmaster had been informed by a spy and alerted the school that the Death Eaters would be attacking Hogsmeade in a few hours. Adult and students alike knew that if they lost the village, the castle would be attacked and likely fall soon after. The entire school was in a flurry of activity with the evacuation of the youngest students, while the upper years busied themselves setting up the defenses. The Heads of houses gathered their students and proceeded to portkey as many of younger years as possible away to safe locations. They did not bother to worry about the laws they broke creating portkeys without Ministry permission. The only thoughts in their minds were on protecting as many students as possible._

_Harry and his friends had a plan ready to execute, when the time was right. It was a dangerous plan, a risky plan, but anything less wouldn't be guaranteed to work, and it was unlikely they would get a second chance to destroy Voldemort permanently. This was what they had trained for and they were determined to succeed. _

_In the midst of the chaos and preparation, they had slipped away to spend, what would be, their last hours together without the interference of others. They fully understood the danger and they had known that they would likely die, but Harry promised himself to try to keep them unharmed, or at least alive. He put his trust in his family and his self to destroy Voldemort, and kept their plan a secret from everyone else._

_It had helped that they had seldom seen other people after their graduation from Hogwarts, at least until they had been called to fight. Ron and Hermione had kept in contact with their families at Harry's insistence, but no more than necessary. Both Neville's and Luna's remaining family had died over the years and both wanted nothing to do with the rest of the Wizarding world. They had all agreed that, as far as they were concerned, the rest of the world seemed as abnormal to them as aliens from a distant planet would. Or perhaps it was the other way around?_

_The one exception was Anthony Goldstein, a Ravenclaw graduate who had been a member of the DA, who was their informant. He owled them weekly to keep them up-to-date on what was going on in the rest of the world; he also visited from time to time. He knew that they had plans, just not the detail. He also knew better than to pry or tell anything that he did know, and for that they were very grateful._

_Most would have thought they would have at least informed their former Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. They would be gravely mistaken. By luck and sheer chance Ron and Neville overheard a conversation, in which Dumbledore and Minister Fudge had talked about what they should do with Harry after the war. The agreement that the two men came to was not pretty or in any way conducive to Harry's long term health. It had taken hours to calm down the two nearly hysterical boys._

_They were so upset by what they had heard, that they burst into the dungeon classroom and dragged both Harry and Hermione out of their potions lesson, ignoring a nearly furious Snape, who looked fit to be outraged by their audacity. _

_When Ron and Neville attempted to explain, they were nearly incoherent, speaking at the same time and making no sense at all. Hermione, fed up with their garbled babbling, shut them up and got them to calm down enough to speak sense with a sharp slap to the head for both of them. When Hermione finally got the story out of them it was an understatement to say she upset. She was incensed to put it mildly. After that, they cut all ties to the Headmaster, even if the old coot didn't notice, he could fall over dead for all they cared._

**XXXXXXXXX**

_Harry had, one day in his sixth year, wandered off to spend some time alone in the forbidden forest, sick and tired from the whisperings of students about why he wasn't out and fighting Voldemort. Like he could defeat a man who could rival Albus Dumbledore in both skill and strength? He was, after all, only sixteen years old, no matter how mature he was for his age. After wondering around for more than an hour, he stumbled across a clearing well hidden from the world. The middle of the clearing, which looked like a round circle, was covered in soft green grass with only a few small branches on the ground._

_It proved to be the perfect place for him to hide until he could deal with the world again. Only a few weeks later, Harry decided to share his place with his closest friends. Soon the clearing became the official place they gathered at when they wanted to speak of their plans for the future or just wanted to escape. It was somewhere where the headmaster didn't have any paintings or other spying devices. _

_Surrounding the clearing grew high Glossy Buckthorn bushes and large black cherry trees. The trees were in a constant full bloom with white, gray and cream colored flowers. A distinctive cherry-like aroma of cyanide filled the air lovingly. The Glossy Buckthorn was also on full bloom with small greenish-white flower, that if you were close enough gave of an aroma of soft vanilla. The bush filled out the spaces where the trees couldn't and together they formed almost a doom around the clearing. Hermione speculated that their own, personal, magic affected the plants life and kept the clearing from withering as long as they continued to spend time there. Neville was understandably fascinated by the theory, but sadly never got the chance to study it._

_That was where the gang had gathered just a few hours before the battle. They were all prepared and dressed for battle. Both girls had carefully gathered their hair in a tight knot so it wouldn't get in the way. All five had the same black style in both pants and jackets. The only thing that was different was the colored lines in the jacket. Harry's was a bright gold, Hermione's a glossy yellow, Luna's was shiny purple, Ron's had blue and Neville's was deep red. All in all, they looked like a team._

"_Does everyone know what you're supposed to do?" Harry asked the group for the hundredth time. He already wished he could do this alone and send the others home into safety, but knowing that wouldn't happen anytime soon, he settled for making sure every detail was clear and remembered._

"_Yes, stop nagging, please Harry. We all know what to do!" Ron annoyingly exclaimed loudly, sending a mild glare at his black-haired brother._

"_Ron's right you know, as much as it pains me to admit..." An indignant "Oy!" was heard from the background. "…we have gone over the plan thousands of times," Hermione finished calmly while throwing an amused glance at Luna's way, who looked possibly bored. _

"_Yeah, yeah, but it can't hurt being careful can it?" Harry countered hotly._

"_Of course not Harry, but I think Ron will fall asleep if we go over it again." Luna's dreamy voice rang clearly through the clearing. _

"_I will not! I'm not that bad at concentrating!" came the immediate answer from Ron, looking quite offended at the insults being tossed at him._

"_Fine, we won't go over it again. Just…be careful alright?" Harry spoke softly while seeking eye contact with everyone, one at a time._

"_Harry, you of all people should know how strong we are. While we all realize the danger, we are not weak teenagers anymore, we are trained young adults. You know this," Neville replayed confidently, to which Harry nodded hesitatingly in answer. _

"_Yes, I know, but still, you are all I have. I can't lose you all now," Harry spoke quietly while gazing intently at the ground, feeling his emotions getting the better of him. This was what they had trained so hard for. Every wound, drop of blood and sweat were for this day and moment. They couldn't fail now because he was being a coward._

_The others all felt their green-eyed brother's pain and shuffled closer. Hermione took his left hand and while Luna grabbed his right hand. Ron and Neville both stood up, and put a hand on his shoulder. They were silent for a couple of minutes before Ron decided to break the tense atmosphere that had created itself in those minutes. _

"_You know, even if we do die it's not like we disappear completely. As long as one of us survives, that person will live for those ones who could not. The memories we have created together will live on inside the survivor's heart." Ron spoke with an unusual serious tone he didn't often use. He gazed at his brothers and sisters to make them see that he was sincere. _

"_Ron, that must be one of the sappiest things you have ever said." Harry laughed, but the gratefulness shining in his eyes betrayed him._

"_Well sorry for being the serious guy for once!" Ron's face and ears were bright red and he sniffed embarrassed. The others chuckled and giggled slightly despite the serious situation, the tense moment disappearing._

_They continued to chat with each other about things that had nothing to do with the war. Things like good old memories from their school time and other funny moments in their life. An hour went and soon Hermione declared that they had to go. Slowly, everyone stood up and stared in silence at each other, hungrily sucking in the sight of each face in case they would never see it again. On a silent order they began to walk back to the castle together. They all walked as close as they could, all touching each other slightly, sometimes only a brush of the hands or shoulders._

_Too soon they exited the forest and saw a large group of blue clothed people, indicating that they were a member at the order of the phoenix. As they come closer Harry spotted Albus Dumbledore in the middle of the group seemingly giving out orders. He scowled darkly, which made the others notice the headmaster as well. _

_Harry's group stopped a few meters away from the larger group and watched in silence as the old man turned his attention to them. Immediately, as the man laid his eyes on them, a twinkle in the old man blue eyes began to shine, and he adopted a 'grandfatherly' look and fondly watched the small group. _

"_Harry, my boy!" Albus called while putting up a soft smile. Mentally, Harry gnashed his teeth in frustration at the greeting from the old goat, as if they had a grandfather - child bond or something. Luna seemed to notice his distress and softly took his right hand and squeezed tightly. Comforted, Harry relaxed somewhat and was able to notice the barely hidden anger behind both Neville and Ron's maskes of calmness. _

"_Headmaster", came Harry's short greeting while carefully hiding any emotion on his face. The others said nothing, content to let Harry say what was necessary. None of them would mind if the old fool were to drop dead, but they all knew that if the old man died, the war would turn even more unpleasant for the light side. _

'The light side!'_ Harry snorted to himself. If one knew where to look, one would find that the supposed light side was not that great after all. They all hid behind pretty lies and disguises to fool the innocent. _

"_My boy, it's a pleasure to meet you again. I just wish it was under different circumstances.", said the old headmaster while mentally trying to figure out how to get the boy under his control and, later on, kill him off if it was deemed necessary. He could not use his_ _legilimency on any of them because he was almost sure all of them knew occlumency to some extent. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he was able to see Harry force himself to nod and smile. Somehow satisfied with the meager answer, he spoke out loud after giving the chosen one a grandfatherly smile. _

"_Today, my friends, will be the last day the Dark Lord walks this land and we will be free again. We shall fight as one and win as one. The victory will come for the light. The light will always triumph in the end!"_

_At the end of the speech, the crowd cheered and clapped their hands at the supposed great light leader. Only Harry and his siblings were silent and glanced briefly at each other. With a silent promise to be careful and to stay alive they, as one, disappeared with muttered words as activation to their portkeys. Each portkey took them to a special designed place that would be the beginning to their plan to destroy Voldemort__**.**_

_Unfortunately, they didn't know that the next time they would meet all together again would be the last time__**.**_

*******End of flashback*******

Harry sighed deeply and took a sip from the fire whisky with only a little bit left at the bottom of the glass. Had he known beforehand what would have happened, he would have tried harder to keep the others away from the battle. Not that it would have done any good anyway. The others were too stubborn for their own good. But Merlin, he still missed them, their voices, the arguments, the knowledge of being loved and being not alone.

He missed Hermione's voice while yelling at Ron or Neville for being an idiot or doing something stupid. He missed the way she almost always seemed to know how he felt, and just knew how to fix it or make things to seem better than they really were.

He missed Ron and his petty fights and bickering about useless things that they always seemed to get into no matter what. The way Ron was so embarrassing and clueless with both feelings and girls. The warm feeling he gave when he thumped his hand on Harry's back as a reassuring way to say 'I'm here for you buddy whether you need me or not'.

He missed Luna's strange way at explaining things with nargles or other weird animals that no way existed outside her own dreamy world. She, too, had a unique way of knowing how he felt and could comfort him with a gentle squeeze on his shoulder or hand. She always was calm and never got angry at any of them, no matter what they did or what happened.

He missed Neville's awkward tries to comfort him when a particular nightmare awoke him in the dead of night, and his encouragement to talk about it every time. Neville's being was a silent strength and a place to lean on for Harry and he always felt safe in the company of Neville, knowing that Neville could protect both of them should it prove necessary.

Still, the most he missed were the times they were all gathered together. Playing or training together with them soothed his hardened soul and gave him a chance to breath and relax fully. Harry always thought that he had a few cards short of a full deck from the start of his childhood, but with them, his family, he felt whole for the first time.

To have them so brutally ripped from his life felt like something was tearing him apart, even now three years later.

Harry always tried to remember the good times, the times which were filled with laughter and joy, but his memories of their deaths always haunted him, and destroyed his happy memories of them. Over the years, he had cursed himself several times for sinking into depression and loneliness. They wouldn't have wanted this at all. They would have wanted him to enjoy being alive and free, even if it was without them. Like Ron had said, he should live not only for himself but for them as well, because they could no longer do it themselves.

His deep thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang. Without jumping at the sound or even turning around, he addressed the creature.

"What do you want Dobby?" His voice was almost toneless, only holding a little warmth for the kind and friendly house elf.

"Master Harry Potter sir! The phoenix Fawkes is awaiting you in the library sir!" Dobby yelled out excitedly while bowing so low that his ears were touching the floor.

"Fawkes? How did he get past the wards, or more importantly, what does he want?" Harry murmured quietly to himself, but the house elf somehow heard it anyway.

"So sorry Master Harry Potter, but Dobby doesn't know! Bad Dobby, bad, bad Dobby!" He started to hit his head against the nearest wall, but was stopped quickly by Harry who had expected the move from the elf.

"Stop now, Dobby. No harm done. I will go to the library. Can you make me a cup of blueberry tea and give me it to me later? I have a feeling I will need it," Harry asked the House elf after calming him somewhat.

"Of course, Master Harry Potter sir!" Dobby answered happily; with that, the Elf quickly poofed to the kitchen to fulfill his master's order.

After a few minutes, Harry arrived to the large library and stopped abruptly before going in. He tried to imagine why the powerful phoenix would appear here but came up with nothing. In fact, when Dumbledore had died in the last battle, the Phoenix had seemingly disappeared. Harry knew better than to believe that the intelligent animal had died, but he had no idea where he could have disappeared too for such a long time. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and walked in.

Inside the library were rows after rows of books. All kinds of books, that had been gathered over years since the beginning of the Potter line, maybe even earlier. Though the Potter's collection did not have many books on dark magic, because the family had always been on the light side and if a family member did turn dark, they would not have been able to inherit the manor. The library was painted in a typical Gryffindor dark red color and golden armchairs were located in every corner and in the middle of the room. They were plushy and soft to sit on. They had fallen asleep in them, while reading or researching some book late at night, more times than Harry could count.

Harry's searching eyes immediately found the Phoenix, who was resting on a table in the middle of the room. Harry absently noticed the book next to the animal hadn't been there last time he left the library. Turning his attention to Fawkes again, the bird chirped happily. The bird took to the air and quickly landed on his shoulder. Harry petted the Phoenix lightly and the bird cooed softly.

"What do you want, my beautiful friend?" Harry asked, puzzled while watching the bird enjoy himself under Harry's soft caressing.

Fawkes butted lightly at Harry's head and pointed slightly at the book on the table with his wing. The young wizard quickly understood what the bird intended for him. He walked forward and picked up the book on the table. With a shock he recognized the book immediately. The book with the title "_**With the heart's power, there and back**__"_ was a book all five of them had read countless times together, and suddenly he knew exactly what Fawkes wanted him to do.

Harry turned his head around to watch the bird perched on his shoulder sadly. He caressed the Phoenix softly and whispered gently, but it was heard through the whole library despite the low tone.

"So it is time for me to finally go."

* * *

**I hope you like the chapter. It took literally forever to write this chapter, but I'm very satisfied with it! It is 10 pages long! That is the longest I have written so far! I'm so proud of myself! Hehe :D **

**I cannot say a time for the next chapter, but it will take a while before it will come out.  
I hope you readers will take a few moments to write a review and tell me what you think about! I will be so grateful if you did!**

**Bye everyone, see ya in the next chapter hopefully!**

**Next chapter: **_Preparation_

_**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**_


	3. Preparation

**Hello all readers!**

**Here you have chapter 2!  
I apologize for the wait but if I'm lucky I got to post a chapter per month.**

**This chapter has been looked over by my Betas, 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX' and '****no one of importance'****, give them a cheer for a wonderful work!****  
**

**I really hope you readers will like this chapter as much I enjoyed writing it!**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Choose a path and don't look back_

**Chapter 2**

"Normal speech**"**

_'Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"**Fawkes"**

* * *

_**Previously: **_"_So it is time for me to finally go." _

* * *

Harry knew, as well as the others, that there was a low chance of them surviving the war, but they all fully accepted that from the moment they decided to fight.

Hermione, the ever optimist, wanted to believe that they would all survive. Then, when the war was over and done, she wanted to make sure that they had a plan of escape ready for them. It had taken countless days and weeks before she found anything useful, but she never gave up hope. Harry, in particular, had already given up on having a normal life after the war, if he survived at all. He never said anything though, not wanting to upset the others. The years Harry spent in the Potter manor with his family were the happiest memories he had. He enjoyed every minute of it despite the war, the threats from both Dumbledore and Minister Fudge, and the angry population of the Wizarding world who demanded that he alone should get rid of Voldemort.

If not for his newfound family he would have left Britain altogether a long time ago. He felt no real sense of duty to fight Voldemort, at least no more than anyone else who had lost a family member to the manic. He wanted revenge for his parents and godfather, no more than that. But the situation with the prophecy didn't allow Harry to escape. Voldemort would surely hunt him down no matter where he hid himself.

Harry thought back to the time before he even knew what his sister planned, and when she revealed her findings.

*******Flashback*******

_They all knew that they would either be celebrated like heroes or be hunted down as the next possible dark lord gang. At least, Harry would still be in danger if Dumbledore or Fudge should still be alive. They would never stop hunting him as long as he lived._

_So, Hermione desperately searched for a way out between her own training and searching to destroy Voldemort. It was only when the gang had found a possible way to defeat Voldemort that she decided to tell them of her plans. _

_The others were both impressed and happy, because they had not noticed or even suspected that Hermione had tried to find a way out. Harry was just glad that if he would die in the end the others would not suffer by the hands of the Wizarding world. _

_Neville and Luna were the happiest to be able to escape the Wizarding world's clutches, and finally live like they always had wanted to. _

_Ron was, in the beginning, a bit hesitant about never seeing his remaining blood family again, but changed his mind after a while because it would be even more painful to never see his closest friends and his new family again. _

_They often gathered around the fire late at the night, discussing what they had learned under the day and different options. One was to hide in the Muggle world, but they cast that idea away pretty quick. The Ministry would eventually find them even if they protected themselves with spells and wards._

_Another option was to hide in another Wizarding community, perhaps in the USA, America, Australia or even India, but what would they do if the other Wizards denied them entry into the country before they could explain themselves? No, that wouldn't work either. _

_**XXXXXXXXXXX**_

_After months of no success and every option they could think of failing, Hermione finally found an old ancient book that had not been touched for maybe thousands of years. She didn't realize it at that time though, because she thought that maybe the book had some information that could help with the defeat of Voldemort, not their means of escape. _

_The book, "__**With the hearts power, there and back**__" was written in an old language that was almost forgotten in this modern day, but luckily, Hermione refused to give up because of such a small problem. Well not for her at least._

_As she translated the book, she became more and more excited. The book described a way to travel to a place your heart is connected to, even though you may have never set your foot in that land before. It could be that your heart was connected to a distant family member, a soul mate or just the love for your homeland if you had gotten lost in some other country. _

_The book also described several places that didn't exist on the map nor have been heard of in thousands of years. These were places that have only been mentioned in myths and legends that were lightly described as places that the spell could take one to. To put it mildly, Hermione was in heaven. _

_She found out after some research that other Potter family members had visited these places before, and had later on come back home, some leaving for a brief visit and some to stay. Many of these people had written down their experiences and the things they saw in scrolls, which had been stored in the ancient Potter vaults. _

_When the translation was done, she gathered everyone in the Common room, and announced that she may have found what she had been looking for. _

_She told them that the book was not only about power from magic but from the heart too. The book had only two spells in it and the rest were about how it was used, where the spells could lead you, what kind of danger it holds and, to everyone's amusement, the possible other worlds they could drop into._

_But the biggest problem was that it required a strong mind and will for it to work. If you, sometime in the process, hesitate or regret, the spell will automatically fail and the chances of death are very high, because the more advanced the spell is the more power and concentration it requires to work. It was very risky._

_Another problem was that the spells was designed to send one person to another place, not five. _

"_How do we solve this problem then? I mean if we try the spell and fail, Merlin knows what can happen." Harry asked after a couple of minutes of silence. He sat next to Neville on a red couch with Luna on his right, sitting on blue cushy pillow on the floor. _

"_Honestly, I have no idea yet. I'm still working on finding a loop hole or something. I really feel like this is what we should do. I don't know why, but it just feels right," Hermione explained with a serious expression on her face. _

"_I don't know about the last part, but if we can get it to work with all five of us, then I'm all in for it. I mean, from your statement from earlier, the spell will send us anywhere but here right? If one of us has someone connected to the spell there, then that's all better, at least that's what I think," Neville spoke up quietly from his spot on the couch next to Harry. Not really caring where he would end up after the war, just that it was not anywhere near this world. So, this kind of spell was the absolute best choice for him, but he would never try the spell alone, after all, family was everything for him and he would never abandon any of them._

"_I have no objections either," Luna's dreamy voice announced her opinion. She turned her gaze at Harry, then to Hermione again. Suddenly, her eyes seemed a little sharper than before and her voice changed to a slightly more serious tone._

"_Have you thought about the power that is needed? The one with the most magic here is Harry, and if we link together our magic cores, and let Harry do the ritual, isn't there a possibility that the spell will think that we five are one person because our cores are as one?"_

"_Luna, that's... brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?" Hermione shouted and stood after a few seconds of speed thinking. She ran forward to Luna and took her hands in her own. She tugged her up and embraced her tightly._

"_But how do we connect our magic cores together?" Asked Harry bemused, both because of Luna's unusual sharpness and Hermione's sudden outburst. Ron and Neville stayed wisely quiet, just as confused as Harry was._

"_I can't explain it right now, but I know that I have read it somewhere before, I just need to find the book first. You will all help me right?" Hermione finished with a silky smooth voice and a grin on her face, like a cat that got the mouse._

_The others gulped nervously and ducked their heads in a silent defeat. It looked like they were camping in the library until they found the damn book. It wouldn't really surprise them if she locked the library door to prevent any of them from leaving. After all, Dobby and the other house elves could deliver food and any other thing they would need anyway. _

_**XXXXXXXXXXX**_

_After three full days of searching, whining, grumbling, fighting and almost dying of boredom, Ron and Harry barely had the energy to lift their heads from the comfy armchairs that they had been almost living in the few past days. Luna and Neville sat on a plushy pillow each reading some thick book, that by only looking at it would make one want to sleep. None of them had seen Hermione for the past 6 hours, not that they had noticed though._

_Suddenly, a high shout was heard through the library, effectively waking Ron and Harry from their deep sleep. Neville had gracefully crashed onto the floor, while Luna barely twitched. When they heard a loud crash, of what was possibly books, and a pained groan, Neville and Luna slowly made their way towards the sound. After rounding a couple of corners and getting lost a few times, Neville was saved by Luna who finally took charge after coming to yet another impasse. Seriously, this library is ridiculously too big, Neville thought. _

_They eventually found Hermione on the floor, surrounded by books. It was almost hard to see her, because the piles of books where higher than her even if she would have stood up. There were also books spread out further around her, possibly the result of the crash they had heard. _

_She held in her hands a small green book with the title__** "The wonders of the magic core, Alcestis Glary binding theories"**__ in silver letters. She turned her head up, and practically beamed at her friends from her spot on the floor._

"_Guys! I found the book!" she announced, while standing up and walking towards Neville and Luna. Carefully making her way towards them, so as not step on any of the books lying on the floor, which was easier said than done. "I knew I had read it before." _

"_That's great! I was beginning to think that we would all rot to death in here before we would find that blasted book," Neville teased, and narrowly avoided a hit from an annoyed Hermione. _

"_Oh hush you! Now, where are those two dunderheads hiding anyway?" Hermione looked around her; almost expecting to see them crawling on the floor towards the library door to escape. Luna chuckled lightly and begun to walk where she knew that the two sleepy boys were._

"_Follow me," was all she said. Though the others were already quite used to her abrupt behavior, they did not bother to question her about how she knew where they were. _

_After waking the two boys again, Hermione explained to them all how the ritual to bind their cores together would proceed. Because the ritual was potentially dangerous and can, in worse case, weaken one of the wizards while the others gain strength, it was classified as illegal. The wizard that weakens can even lose his magic if things go wrong, and when the ritual was in the process, it would be impossible to quit while the pain would be almost unbearable when the core finally emerged. _

_They all agreed not to the mess with their magic core before the war was over, and therefore decided to wait to research deeper about the subject. _

_But they all wanted to have some facts about the potential worlds they could drop into, and they wanted to be prepared for it. Even though these books would be much easier to find, it would still be a lot of reading and searching, at which both Ron and Harry groaned pitifully. _

_After reading the first book deeper, they discovered that the book mentioned five different places, Atlantis, the Elemental country, the forgotten city, Bermuda triangle and Middle earth._

_But because all of these places were supposed to be mythical cities and lands, there was not much information to find about them. Most stuff was just speculation and guesses, meaning, there was no way to know if their findings were true or false. _

_Plus, they had no way to visit Gringott's to see if any other Potter members had written about them and left the information in the vault. _

*******End of flashback*******

The young Wizard sat down in one of the armchairs and laid his head in his hands. Fawkes was perched on his shoulder, but was quiet so that the young wizard could think through the situation. Much was needed to do be done before he could use the ritual.

Because the ancient Phoenix had lost his previous master (not that he missed him, the man had changed too much from the younger Albus that he had bonded with in the beginning), he decided he did not want to sleep to wait for maybe another thousands of years till the next white leader appeared.

The young man before him was a mix of white, gray and dark magic, almost the perfect balance between good and bad. This man wouldn't be easy to lure with promises of power and strength because he simply didn't care whether he was powerful or not. All he wanted was to protect his loved ones.

The phoenix had wanted to help the wizard more under the war, but his master had ordered him not to interfere or help. It had made him angry and confused at first. It was only then, that the phoenix had begun to see that the gentle man from before had changed into something the ancient bird was ashamed of.

He had become a tyrant that would do anything to reach his goal, no matter who was standing in his way. The phoenix had no excuses to speak of, nor any explanation for the change, but he could now help the young wizard to be free from not only the wizard world but from himself as well. The bird decided to follow the wizard wherever he would go, and protect him to the best of his ability. At least, he could help him if he ever was injured.

Fawkes glanced at the wizard, only to see him still deep in thought, and decided to finish up something before he returned to him. Somehow the intelligent bird already knew that the young wizard would be leaving in a week's time.

Harry never noticed when Fawkes flashed briefly before disappearing from the Potter manor. He decided to tie up all his unfinished businesses and gave himself one week to do it. After that week, Harry James Potter would no longer reside in this place. First, he needed to pack everything he would need to survive where ever he would end up. A visit to Gringott's was necessary as well.

Harry debated if he should say goodbye to Remus and his family face to face or just write a letter. It wasn't like he would never come back but to say good bye was a very painful thing for Harry. He decided to write a long nice letter that explained everything.

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang, and he turned towards the sound. He had forgotten the he had ordered Dobby to bring him tea. But he was glad that he did, he needed something to clear his mind, even if it wasn't his beloved fire whiskey.

"Dobby brings Master Harry Potter's tea." Dobby placed the tea on the small table next to the wizard and then bowed deep and prepared himself to return to the kitchen, but was stopped by Harry.

"Thanks Dobby. I have a couple of things I want you to do for me, because a week from now I will travel somewhere far away and I will probably be gone for a while. I need to pack everything, from food to clothes. After that, Dobby and the rest of the house elves will have to go to Remus Lupin's house and serve them until I come back. You may come back to the manor to clean if you want to. Is that clear?" Harry said gently, but sternly to the kind house elf. Dobby bobbed his head and looked quite sad at the prospect that his master would go away without him.

"What will Master Harry Potter pack everything in? What will happen to Masters owl?" Dobby asked quieter than he normally spoke to his beloved master.

"Hedwig will come with me on my travel, and I want you to pack everything in my warlock trunk that I have around my neck. It contains multiple compartments in which all are labeled for what you should put into them. I will leave it open for you to pack. If you have any questions about what you should pack come and ask me directly. Okay?"

Dobby bobbed his head again, and took the shrunken truck with a silver chain attached to it from Harry and placed it on the floor. Harry waved his hand over it and the truck swelled to its original size. He laid his hand on the golden lock and whispered the password in parseltounge.

"_Unlock and Open__"._

The lock opened with a soft pop and Harry lifted up the lid. He showed Dobby where everything should be put. After the house elf understood his instruction, he poofed away with the trunk, probably going to fill it with food that would last for years.

Harry thought through what was most important to do. He needed to buy clothes so that he had some for every kind of weather, through cold winter to the burning summer. He also needed to update his potion kit with everything he could lay his hands on. It wouldn't hurt to be careful. What would happen if he simply was bitten by something poisonous or got sick and didn't have some ingredients for the antidote with him?

He shuddered and mentally promised himself to stock up with an enormous amount of different things to insure his survival, some things from the war were hard to let go of. He decided to pay a visit to Gringott's to take out money, both for the shopping he had to do, but also so that he had a lot when he traveled. He would also have to form a new will if he would die in the other land or was unable to come back.

With that decided, he informed a house elf that he was leaving, but was coming back in time for supper and that he would be eating out at dinner.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

He apparated to an alley that was protected from the muggles near the Leaky Cauldron, and quickly surveyed the place for people, and when he found none he pulled up his hood to hide his face. He had a dark brown long coat that didn't look expensive or cheap and it would let him blend into the muggle crowd more easily.

Harry stepped out onto the people filled street and headed for the bar. After being so isolated from people for such a long time, the amount of folk that surrounded him made his heart beat like crazy, almost like it was on its way to jump out of his chest.

His breathing quickened and he began to sweat bullets from the close contact, panicking he touched someone. He wished strongly for a calming draught or a big glass of fire whisky. Steeling himself, he quickly made his way towards the Leaky Cauldron, and when he saw the dirty and broken sign to the bar he almost sighed in relief. He walked into the bar without looking at anyone and made his way to the pathway to Diagon Alley.

Harry took out his wand and tapped the cement wall. The wall gave way smoothly and revealed a busy crowd of wizard and witches that seemed awfully cheerfull and carefree, like they had no trouble in their life. They all had big smiles on their faces and seemed to be very pleased with their lives.

Of course, they had the right to be happy, to be finally free from the terror that was Lord Voldemort, but come on. It was only three years ago that it happened. Harry mentally scoffed at the stupidity of the wizard world, and hurried towards the goblin bank without anyone noticing him.

One would think that someone would be suspicious of a stranger with a hood up hiding his face in the middle of the day, but they all ignored him with ease.

At least that was the case until Harry accidently knocked into an elderly old man that looked at least to be around 100 years old but was probably older thanks to his heritage. In the fall down, his hood slipped off him. Harry didn't notice it in the beginning because he was busy helping the old man to stand again and apologized sincerely several times, but suddenly someone close gasped loudly and shouted high enough for everyone to hear.

"Is that Harry Potter? Oh Merlin, it really is!"

Hundreds of people crowded around him in an attempt to get a glance at their savior and maybe even touch him. After fighting for about half an hour to escape from the rabbid fans, he finally managed to break through.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry walked with deliberate fast and confident steps to avoid the people that where following and crowding him. He didn't answer any of their greetings and avoided those who tried to shake his hand and touch him.

He walked up the stairs and past the massive doors that led into Gringotts. Without paying any attention to anyone, he walked directly to a goblin that was free, and waited patiently for the creature to notice him while trying to calm down and get his breathing under control.

A long and painful lesson with Hermione had literally forced him to learn how to behave in front of a goblin and how to speak both politely and respectfully, something other wizards didn't feel the goblins deserved or just thought that they were worth more than them.

Hermione had even taught him a bit about the goblins history, despite his rather high and whiny protest. He had originally thought that he would die of boredom because of his experience with Professor Binns lessons, but it turned out more interesting than he earlier thought was possible. Without Binns monotone voice that lulled everyone into sleep, and Hermione only mentioning the most important things and events, in turned out alright.

Shaking himself out of his memories, he turned his attention again to the goblin before him. After a few seconds, he finally saw that he had the goblins attention. He bowed slightly without breaking the eye contact with the creature he greeted the goblin in their own language.

"_Greetings guardian of the glorious Gringott's, may the goblin nation prospers and let the gold freely flood in your hearts."_

The eyes of the goblin widened slightly, the only sign of the surprise it felt for the greeting that was rarely said, especially from a wizard. Then the goblin recognized the wizard as Harry Potter, and a rare small smile grazed the goblins face. The powerful wizard before him was recognized as a goblin friend and was to be treated as such, which the goblin did with well-hidden joy.

He replied with the appropriate greeting and tipped his head slightly downwards, barely noticed but he knew that the man before him would see it anyway.

"_Greeting friend of the goblins, may your life be long and healthy with gold flowing around your heart"_

Harry straightened from the bow and gave a small smile back. Without delaying his business matter any longer in respect, because, after all, time is money for the goblins, he quickly explained what he wanted.

"I see, this matter demands the attention of a higher sitting goblin. Gauladiu!" the goblin suddenly shouted behind him. Immediately, a new goblin appeared next to the other and bowed slightly in respect. "Lord Potter has business with the Head of the Potter vault, notify the goblin in charge."

"Yes sir", the obviously younger goblin replied and with a new small bow he quickly stepped away with his new mission. The older goblin turned his attention once again to the human before him.

"Come on, Lord Potter, I will lead you to the one you need to speak with concerning this matter", the goblin said while grabbing some documents and beginning to walk away into one of the many doors.

"Of course, thank you", Harry answered and followed the creature through what looked like a maze of halls inside the bank.

Harry tried to count how many left and right turns they took but soon lost count. Suddenly the goblin stopped before a large door that was painted in golden colors and with an engraving of a flying silver Phoenix with his wings spread out. It was obviously the goblin office to the Potter family.

"Here we are", the goblin said and opened the door by drawing his finger in the middle of the phoenix's body. The door moved without a sound and swung open easily. Harry thanked the goblin before striding into the room.

The office was medium sized with high bookcases on both sides of the door. The room was lit, with something that looked suspiciously like an ordinary muggle lamp attached to the ceiling, albeit an obviously stronger one than a normal muggle one. The room was in light red and white colors that matched each other beautifully. Straight forward from the door, a high desk was placed with an ancient looking goblin sitting behind it.

Harry immediately felt the eyes on him from the goblin and gulped nervously. The goblin practically glowed with power and strength. This wasn't a goblin one wanted to make an enemy of, not that one wanted any goblin as an enemy to begin with.

Harry quickly bowed deeply, and waited patiently for the ancient looking goblin to start the conversation. The silence in the room gave Harry the creeps and he suddenly wanted to be far away.

"I'm Shuthook and the head of the Potter vault. How can I help you Lord Potter?" The voice was low and firm, almost a little too low because Harry had to lean forward to catch the words.

"Greetings Shuthook. I need to make a new will because I'm going to travel around a bit and I don't know if I am going to come back. Also, if something happened to me I want everything already set and done." Harry spoke as confidently as he could, but even he could hear the slight tremor in his voice.

"Of course, smart choice Lord Potter. I suppose you will take with you an amount of money for your travel?" The goblin watched him like a hawk and narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Yes, precisely. Though I have a little problem, I don't exactly know where I will end up, how will I deal with the new currency in that place?"

"That is easily fixed Lord Potter. We, at Gringott's, have invented a spell that will give you the right kind of money. All you have to do is hold some of you old money and some of the new money and chant the spell over both. Automatically all your money will transform to the new currency. If you want to change it to another currency you do the same process again."

"That's … amazing! So, about my new will, I already know what to write, all I need is the document. "Harry slowly relaxed around the powerful goblin, and spoke with a more steady voice. Shuthook nodded sharply before sliding a bunch of papers across the desk for Harry to sign. He pointed with a long wiry finger toward one of the corners where a small table and a chair stood.

Harry took the papers and walked over to the chair and sat down. He checked them over before he started writing his will.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

After precisely one hour and twelve minutes later, Harry finished the document and handed it over to the goblin. He then had to wait about five minutes for the goblin to read through it and sign it.

Shuthook nodded and signed the papers with an almost satisfied expression on his face. At least it looked like it to Harry, but one could never know with these clever and tricky creatures. The goblin then begun to search around for one of the many files on his desk. Finding what he was looking for, he pulled a sheet of paper out and showed it to the wizard before him.

"This is your old will you made 3 years ago. Do you agree to burn it?" the ancient goblin asked briskly and peered at him intensely.

"Yes, that is alright with me," Harry said with a weak and small voice as he thought back to when he made that will. His whole family had been in that will in case he died in the war, but now he had to redo all of it and remove their names from his will. It hurt him more than he could describe, and for him, it felt like he finally accepted that they were really gone for the first time.

After that, they fixed all the money Harry needed and felt he should bring with him, which was a lot of money. Not that it even made a dent in his vault, even though he took enough to survive for several years.

Harry also went to the vault where all books and family treasures were stored. He picked up several new books that looked interesting and when he was just about to go back up again, a strange feeling of belonging awoke within him. He followed without question and walked deeper into the vault than he had ever gone previously, before he woke up from the odd trance he had fallen into.

On a small round table with a ruby red table cloth, an emerald green necklace lay innocently. It had a roaring fox on it, and Harry noticed it had a strange aura around it. Not an evil one, but not exactly a good one either. It made Harry slightly paranoid. '_Did this necklace just call to me? Why?' _Harry wondered mentally to himself while intently watching the necklace.

Suddenly a piece of parchment with glowing letters appeared before him and floated so that he could read it without touching it with his hands. Like it knew that he wouldn't have picked it up and read it otherwise.

'_Give me to my rightful owner. I will protect__my master from evil and will punish those who will try to hurt him. Return me to my rightful master before it is too late.'_

Harry stood, puzzled for several minutes before deciding to take the necklace with him regardless of the danger. If this thing appeared just for him, then it probably meant something. He had learned enough from such mysterious phenomena, that he knew it was better to just go along with it and avoid the trouble of not listening and get punished for that instead.

'_No need to practically invite trouble' _Harry thought darkly, while also quite amused at the same time. After all, these kinds of things just seemed to happen to him wherever he went. So far, he had survived and he could feel on some level in his heart and soul that this would not hurt him, rather it would bring him happiness and joy instead.

How that would happen was the question. Not that he would be anxious and worried over it, what would come to happen will happen when the time was right. Luna had once told him that, and he held onto it like a life line, at least this time. After Harry was done with gathering what he thought he would need, he returned to Shuthook again.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

"I have finished with what I have needed done today. I thank you for sparing your time with me, but I need to ask for a favor. I hope you can help me," Harry asked while bowing deeply and at the same time, holding the goblin's eyes in his.

"It's my job, Lord Potter. What is this favor you speak of?" the ancient goblin asked with a blank look.

"I need to shop for my travel, but I am unable because of all the people that will surround me when step out of this building. They have already seen me with this piece of fabric on me and I am sure that a large crowd of people will be waiting for me outside. I need to be able to escape them. Can you help me?"

"I think I have a solution for you, Lord Potter. It will cost you a sum of money, but I can guarantee that you will be satisfied with the results," the goblin spoke after a minute of thinking. Then, he walked to one of the bookcases on the left side. He pulled out a scroll and after slitting his finger slightly, he smeared it on the scroll's seal.

The scroll shined briefly and, after a soft sound and some white smoke that strangely didn't smell at all, a black long coat appeared with a symbol of a fox stitched on one arm in a warm red color. The fox almost seemed to burn, but not in a hurting way. It looked like the fire protected the fox like a mother's gentle touch. To sum it up, it looked absolutely gorgeous.

"This will protect you against most spells and it is heat resistant. It will also hide all obvious things that you can put under the coat; you simply have to wish it to happen. Think of the coat like it has a will on its own. It will do everything it can to help you if the coat has the power to. I do not think I need to tell you to not speak of this special coat to anyone, because they are very rare and only a few goblins have one of them. You're the first wizard to own one as of now.

"Why would you sell me this coat if it's so powerful and rare? I mean, not to be rude, you goblins don't exactly like us wizard all that much," Harry asked amazed and confused at the same time.

"I have a feeling you will need it on you travel, Lord Potter. You also treat us with respect, something we all are thankful for." Shuthook's tone was serious and Harry's heart warmed a bit when he spotted a small smile on the old goblin's face.

"I thank you for letting me have such a treasure then. I hope I will see you again." With that, Harry bowed again and took the coat, paid for it and left the office.

Walking out of Gringotts with the coat on went unsurprisingly smooth. After two hours of undisturbed shopping and the clock nearing seven, Harry finally finished everything he needed to at the shops. Harry apparated home to the manor just in time for supper.

A starving Harry almost inhaled the food and then went to bed quickly. He fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

The next couple of days went by like a whirlwind for Harry. He helped the house elves pack, despite their protest, and triple checked everything for something that could possibly be missing.

The food chamber in the trunk was stocked with so much food, that it would take a year to eat it all up. Lucky for him, a preserving charm was put on the mountain of food that made it stay fresh until the moment one unfroze it. All his clothes, from summer to winter articles, were neatly packed in the chamber for itself. Same with his things like books and such.

One day, before his departure, he wrote the letters to his few friends that he had left, and sent them off with an owl other than Hedwig. He got a hard and disapproving stare from said owl, but after explaining to her why he did it she seemed to forgive him. He really had never met a smarter owl than Hedwig, which he told her, and she puffed out her chest proudly to say that she already knew that but still enjoyed the compliment.

Harry wouldn't have to use any extra spell to be able to bring Hedwig with him because, almost 6 years ago when he still was at school, he had bonded with her as his familiar, thus making them share not thoughts, but pictures and feelings. Though he could figure out what she said from that anyway. Because of the bond, she was linked to his magic core already, making the magic core bonding spell useless to him without his siblings to use it with.

In the morning, before his departure, Fawkes flashed into the kitchen where Harry sat and enjoyed a breakfast of bacon, egg, scones and a hot cup of tea. Harry was taking a sip of his tea when Fawkes arrived making him spit out it on the table in surprise.

"Fawkes! What in Merlin's name are you doing here?" Harry coughed out and whipped his mouth with a handkerchief that one of the house elves provided him with.

Fawkes hovered before him and suddenly glowed with magic. Harry felt something connect within him and a searing pain wracked his body from his head to his toes. Harry fell screaming to the floor, but as suddenly as the pain came it disappeared. He carefully stood up and grabbed the counter for support. He panted slightly from shock and searched for any visible wound on himself. Suddenly a warm and soothing feeling spread through his body, making him pause for a moment.

"What in seven hells was that?" Harry muttered to himself. He felt the connection again, but without the pain.

"**Hello young one"**

"Who's there?" Harry whirled around the room, but spotted no one. His thoughts flashed through his mind almost faster than he could think them. '_Who could break into the manor without me noticing anything? Did someone break the wards that easily? Why has he not attacked me yet?' _His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the voice again.

"**Relax young one. I will not hurt you; I want to help you instead. I am the phoenix, Fawkes as you know me as." **

At this Harry turned around to stare at the phoenix and saw that the bird was watching him intently.

"How can I understand you? Was it you who caused the pain before?" Harry asked, confused and a little bit afraid. He felt different somehow, like he was more in tune with his magic. He could almost feel it under his skin, ready to be used and it felt very powerful, much more than usual.

"**I'm truly sorry for that. To be able to go with you on your travel I had to bond with you, like how you are bonded with your owl. I think it hurt you more because you were not prepared for it. I honestly didn't know that it would hurt you that bad; I hope you can forgive me.** **The reason I bonded with you and the reason I want to follow you on your travel is because I feel guilty of what my old master did to you. I tried several times to convince him to stop but he was too far in his own plans to consider anything else. **

"**I want to help you, to make up for all the times I could not. With the bond from me, you will heal faster than normal and, in rare cases of strong emotional distress, you can shed healing tears. I can feel when you need my help and the bond allows me to find you from long distance if we ever got separated.** **Like now, we will be able to talk in our minds anytime we want. There is a possibility that your bond with your owl has strengthened somewhat, and can get stronger in time when your body and magic core gets used to being bonded to us.** **Please, I really would like to help you; will you allow me to go with you?"**

Harry thought through everything he learned and he could almost feel the headache coming. He wasn't a Hermione sort of person. He didn't make lists of pros and cons and then choose the most logical. He couldn't make decisions that way. Every choice he'd ever made had been based more on intuition. He'd go with whatever felt right, sitting and moaning about it wouldn't help.

And right now it felt right to just let the bird do what he felt he needed to do. Having one of the rarest animals on the planet with him as a companion should be interesting in whatever would happen in the future.

"Fine, you can come with me. I will be leaving as soon as I have the ritual finished." Harry said at last. He watched Hedwig for a bit and she did not seem to be disturbed by the phoenix. She looked rather happy at the prospect of not being the only animal on the trip as she peered at the phoenix.

"**Thank you, young one. I hope that someday, you will learn to trust me, but seeing as my former master caused you great grief, I understand if it will take some time."**

"It's true that I didn't trust the fruity bastard any further than I could throw him, but I feel that it wasn't you fault at all. You even saved me in my second year against the Basilisk; I think you have already proved yourself to me that you are trustworthy," Harry stated seriously and he really meant it.

He couldn't find it in himself to doubt the powerful bird; the phoenix had saved him from certain death at that time, which were more one could say about the headmaster.

Fawkes bowed before the wizard, grateful that the man could forgive him. He was very glad that the weary man could still be so kind after everything that had happened to him.

**XXXXXXXXXX**

Two hours later, Harry stood in a round room located in the basement and around him a large symbol was painted on the floor. Ten candles were placed in a pattern that resembled a star with Harry and the two birds in the middle.

Hedwig and Fawkes were perched on his shoulders and Harry had his warlock trunk around his neck in a silver chain with everything he needed in it, shrunken to look like a small pendant. He quickly went over everything so he didn't forget something. When he could not come up with anything he had missed, he repeated the spell in his head several times. After all, it wouldn't do to forget some part of the spell in the middle of the ritual, which was just asking for problem.

Deciding that he had wasted too much time, as it was, he started the ritual. Making a cut on one of his fingers, he let it bleed for a few seconds before holding it over each candle and dropped a few drops of blood in every one, making them glow as the fire turned deep red.

Softly, he began to chant the spell, making sure that every word was said clearly and confidently.

_**~~~~ Finis vitae quantum eam scio ~~~~**_

_**~~~~ Dei noctis animas nostras protegant ~~~~**_

_**~~~~ Felicitas nulla vera est nisi communis ~~~~**_

_**~~~~ Mea familia mea vita est ~~~~**_

At first, nothing seemed to happen, but Harry could feel the magic shift to fulfill his wish. Suddenly, an unearthly painful feeling surged through his body; it was like lava crawling over his skin and consuming his mind and body.

With a painful cry, he let the darkness overtake him as he succumbed to the pain and he wished, absently, that his two winged friends didn't feel the same pain as he did.

Just as he lost his conscious he felt a pull similar to a portkey take him towards his destination.

* * *

**There you have it, the second chapter. Merlin in the end it become more than seventeen sides in Word. I didn't think I had it in me to write that much. I'm truly amazed with myself right now. **

**I REALLY need to thank all who have reviewed on my story so far, you guys are absolutely wonderful! **

**Next time it will begin in the elemental country.**

**Have you any wish or idea for something to happen in the elemental country do not hesitant to tell me! I need a few new ideas for the next chapter.**

**Please review and tell me what you think of it!**

**Next chapter: **_Meeting stranger_

**~~Tigersissi~~**


	4. Meeting Savior

**Hello all readers!**

**Here you have chapter 3!  
Finally in the elemental country at last! I suspect or at least hope that you readers have waited for this moment as much as I have to write it!**

**I want to warn you readers that Naruto emotions are going to change like a roller coaster, partly because of his treatment before he meet Harry and because he won't understand in the beginning why Harry is so kind towards him without wanting anything in return. **

**This chapter has been looked over by my Betas, 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX' and '****no one of importance'****, give them a cheer for a wonderful work!**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_My scars are to remember that my past was real_

**Chapter 3**

"Normal speech"

_'Thinking'_

_"__Snake speech__"_

**"**_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously: **_Just as he lost his conscious, he felt a pull similar to a portkey take him towards his destination._

* * *

Love, by textbook definition, is described as a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person that arises from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying unity to each other.

When Harry first laid his eyes on the bloody and broken young boy before him, an urge of protectiveness and fondness slammed into him like he had walked into a brick wall. The need to help and protect the boy had driven him to attack the mass of people without a second thought. He had moved as if in a trance while his whole attention was on the shallow movements of the boy's chest that showed he was still alive.

After the crowd of people disappeared, Harry transformed into his human form and, after the boy finally succumbed to the pain and blood loss, he started to gently and carefully heal him to the best of his ability.

As he watched the boy's breathing becoming lighter and easier from the spell he had used to speed up the healing process, Harry silently tried to rein in his anger towards the people who had hurt such a small child. He absently noticed that the wounds healed unnaturally fast, even with the extra help from him.

For a moment, he sank into deep thought as he sadly gazed at the broken body.

_'Why can't life be fair to people? I can't understand that it could be so cruel to such a small and innocent child. Why? What has this little child done to be punished like this?'_

Harry returned to the matter at hand again. He couldn't bring himself to leave the boy, especially after what he'd seen. A sudden tingling feeling went through his body and Harry reached into one of his inner pockets, grabbing something hard and pulled it out. He was surprised to see that it was the necklace he had found in the Potter vault. The roaring fox had become warm and its aura told Harry that it sought after something.

He glanced at the boy briefly. The wizard held the necklace over the child and he practically felt it sing with happiness. Slightly bemused he carefully fastened the sliver chain around the boy's neck so as to avoid waking him. The necklace immediately settled down and soft light surrounded the boy before seemingly sinking into him, disappearing as if it never was there.

Harry sighed deeply; he would have to take the boy with him. His instinct and heart wouldn't have it any other way. Plus, the necklace had to mean something, he could feel it connect himself to the boy.

Harry took off his coat and wrapped it around the child to keep him warm. He called for Fawkes through the mind link with the bird and asked if the phoenix could fire transport them to the tent that Harry lived in outside in the forest.

After getting an answer of agreement he waited for his companion to pick them up. He didn't dare to apparate or use a portkey because of the boy's wounds and his eagle form was too weak to carry the child, though this was not an option anyway because who wouldn't think it strange for a bird to be carrying a small boy in its grasp? Doubtless it would draw far too much attention. Next to him Fawkes flashed into existence and chirped sadly when he saw the boy cuddle up gently in Harry's arms.

"Try making it as gentle as you can Fawkes. I don't want to hurt him anymore than necessary," Harry spoke softly to the bird.

Fawkes bobbed his head and perched on his master's shoulder gently before transporting them as softly and quickly as he could. After a couple of seconds, Harry and his precious burden were standing outside a small tent surrounded by large, tall trees that hid them from unwanted eyes.

It looked quite like the one Harry had shared with the Weasley family and Hermione when they had gone to the Quidditch World Cup in his fourth year, though this one was much bigger on the inside. Inside there was 5 rooms, a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, a common room, and a small potion lab. The kitchen was quite large with everything included. Harry had always loved to cook, even when he was forced to do it at the Dursley's. He took great joy in creating something delicious for other people to eat and then hear them praise it and say it was good. Small things like that made Harry happy and content.

The bedroom was enormous in size. The bed was king sized and had satin sheets and covers. Even the flat sheet was made of satin and completely green in color. _Ron would have a fit,_ Harry used to snorted mentally when he laid his eyes on it. The room had a large wardrobe filled with clothes, from summer to winter clothes. The warlock trunk stood in its original size in a corner, open and currently showing the content of Harry's book collection that had not been unpacked yet. Two bookcases leaned against the wall, only half filled with things.

A small table with a matching chair was placed in one of the corners and was filled with papers, pens, quills, a lamp, and a lot of other things spread out all over the place. A soft and thick carpet covered the floor in light emerald green colors. The walls had a creamy white color, not the hospital white color, and looked quite warm. Of all the rooms, Harry liked this one the most.

The bathroom was the room next to the bedroom. It was fairly large in Harry's standards. The room had a round bathtub that could easily fit 4 people, a sink, a toilet and towel rails on the walls. The room had a light blue shift to it and it was relaxing to see.

The common room was not unlike the Gryffindor common room at Hogwarts. There were two soft armchairs and a long sofa that was perfect for Harry to sleep in when he didn't want to sleep in his bed. The red color on the walls made Harry remember all the good times at school with his friends and it always made him calm down if he was stressed or upset at something.

And right now he very much needed to calm down.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

He put the small body on his bed and, after giving the child a full inspection, Harry discovered that the boy was severely malnourished and the bones were weak even for one so small. His face twisted like he had just bitten a particularly bitter lemon drop because the state of his charge reminded him painfully of how himself, he must have looked like this before he started at Hogwarts and had gotten stuffed full with the delicious food the house elves cooked.

Harry marveled at the quick rate of the boy's healing process, knowing if this weren't the case the child would undoubtedly be covered in countless cuts and bruises. When Harry used some magic to feel the boy's own life force to see if any other damage had been done, a large seal appeared on the stomach. It looked like a sun with swirls in the middle of it. The wizard had no idea what it could be, but he could feel the almost evil aura around it.

It did not come from the boy, Harry was sure of, but rather something that was sealed into the mark. After pondering over it for a minute or two, Harry decided the matter could wait; it didn't matter to him right now anyway.

He began to wrap the small body carefully so that the wounds wouldn't become infected. Just as Harry was about to put the covers over the boy, soft whimpers escaped the small body that soon became cries and screams. Harry was certain the boy was trapped in a nightmare and tried to sooth him by holding him gently and murmuring soft meaningless words, rocking him gently back and forth. Eventually, the sounds stopped and Harry saw the boy open his eyes slightly, obviously trying to wake up from the nightmare. The older man thought he looked adorable with ruffled hair and small half opened blue eyes.

When the young boy realized that someone was holding him, he stilled immediately and whimpered slightly, afraid that someone would hurt him again. Harry loosened his hold gently, but did not let go. When nothing happened for several minutes, the child once again opened his small sky blue eyes and turned around in the embrace to be met with the most stunning green eyes he had ever seen in his short life.

Entranced by the beautiful green eyes of the stranger, he didn't notice when the man had raised his hand and laid it against his forehead. When he felt the touch he flinched away from it, but the man didn't take the hand away, instead lifting his other hand to his own forehead and measuring the warmth between them. Relief shone in the older man's eyes when he took away his hand to once again embrace him.

At first the boy didn't understand what the man had done, but then it hit him. He had seen the other adults do the same to the other children in the orphanage when they had been sick with a fever, but never had they done it to him. They had almost looked happy when he was sick.

"How are you feeling, little one?", the older man asked in a kind and gentle voice. It was something only the old man Hokage used for him. Not used to others asking about his wellbeing, he answered the only way he knew.

" m'fine." His young and childish shy voice didn't seem to convince the older man, but after a penetrating look he gracefully let it go for now.

"That's good. What's your name young one?", the stranger continued to ask kindly. The boy, still quite trapped in the beautiful green eyes, answered without hesitation.

"Uzumaki Naruto." The blonde winced when he caught himself and awaited the blow that was sure to follow, but the stranger merely smiled gently at him, making Naruto's heart swell with warmth and happiness. No one, except the old man, had ever smiled like that at him before, especially after knowing his name. The other people in the village would always sneer at him wherever he went and when he said his name it always got worse.

"My name is Potter Harry. It is best you sleep little one and gain back some strength before we speak some more. I will be here when you wake up again, I promise you.", Harry said when an unmistakable yawn threatened to snap Naruto's jaws in two.

Naruto only nodded tiredly and snuggled closer to the warmth that was the other man's body, feeling safe and protected for the first time in his life. His eyes dropped fast and his breathing slowed down, the heartbeat from the man lulling him into sleep like a lullaby sung from a mother. Harry watched the small boy named Naruto drift off in sleep. He was relieved that the boy had no fever and was well enough to speak normally.

He glanced at the boy fondly as he snuggled him even closer to himself. The idea of a protector, a father, was something Harry had dreamed of since his days in the cupboard under the stairs of Privet Drive, but now he could feel a longing for someone to protect and cherish with all his heart and he could feel somewhere that his soul was reaching out for the boy, that this was the one.

He had no idea why, but the waiting that had plagued him for years seemed to settle somewhat in peace when he held to boy in his arms. It felt right and Harry felt like he never wanted to let go of the little boy.

Harry laid down under the covers with the sleeping boy in his arms and began to drift off, confident that if something would happen, either Fawkes or Hedwig would warn and protect them.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The morning came quickly and an impatient Hedwig flew into her master's room to wake him up. When she saw the small body next to her beloved human, she settled on the chair and watched with interest at how her master's body seemed to curl around the child as if to protect him from danger even in his sleep.

Her master did not like it when other humans touched him she knew, so she wondered what made this one so different. She tilted her head to the side and chirped softly. When nothing happened she shrieked a little louder and saw with satisfaction a movement from her human's body.

Harry awoke to Hedwig's annoying wakeup call as usual and didn't at first understand why his arms did not want to move when he wanted them to. He looked down and saw yellow and golden hair just under his left arm.

Everything came back with a rush of yesterday's happenings and he smiled sadly at the tiny boy, Naruto. Only four years old and had already seen the evil and sad side of humanity, just as Harry had experienced it at his relatives hands when he was young. Early on, Harry had been taught the rules how to survive on your own. One, trust no one, but yourself. Two, if you fall down you better pick yourself back up because no one will help you. Three, always save food for later.

Harry did not want to let the boy go back and continue being beaten and ill-treated. Every cell in his body screamed to save the boy and wrap him up in cotton and hide him to keep him safe, but he knew that somewhere there could be someone that was looking for the child and demanding him back. At least Harry hope the child had someone looking for him, because knowing that the sweet child had no one that loved and cared for him almost broke his heart.

Every child deserved to be taken care of in a gentle and tender way that made them feel loved and safe.

Harry's inner musings were interrupted by a movement next to him. He looked down and saw Naruto yawn cutely with his eyes still closed. A fond smile tugged on his lips as he watched the boy slowly become aware of his surroundings. When the child noticed him, he smiled shyly and watched him with more trusting eyes than yesterday.

"Hi.", his low childish voice broke the silence.

"Hello little one, do you feel better today?", Harry asked tenderly, sitting up with the child safely tucked in his lap, his arms around the child's stomach.

"Mhm,", Naruto nodded vigorously, quite stunned that the man allowed him to sit in his lap and hold him willingly. "I feel better now. Thankyou for helping me.", the child said childishly with a small shy voice. Harry almost winched at the boy's speech, didn't children speak clearer at this age?

"No need to thank me, little one," Harry said and patted the boys head smoothly.

"No one has helped me before. You are really nice mister!", Naruto chatted happily.

He didn't notice Harry's eyes narrowing and his mouth turning into a thin streak. _'Why has no one helped the child?' _Harry mentally screamed. The very thought that this child had never been held before made Harry's heart race and his blood sing as it coursed wildly through his body. He took a couple of calming breaths before concentrating on the child again.

"I see. No mister for me little one, you can call me Harry from now on, okay?", the wizard almost demanded in a soft voice.

"Ok." The child beamed at him with one of the biggest smiles Harry had ever seen and he promised that he would do anything to make the boy smile more.

"Are you hungry kiddo?", Harry asked softly while moving to stand up besides the bed. "I can make anything you want, just name it."

"Really?", Naruto asked incredulously with wide eyes. "You would let me eat?" The child looked like Christmas had come early.

"Yes I would, now what would you like to eat?" Harry lifted up the boy and sat him on his hip, holding him with both arms. He started walking towards the kitchen. "Do you have any favorite breakfast food?" Harry looked down to see the child's face and was not really that surprised to see a blank and empty expression on it.

_'The people that were supposed to take care of him have probably not fed nor protected him as they should.' _Harry had to swallow a couple of times and take some calm deep breaths to keep his sudden blooming anger from showing on his face. No need to scare the child, he thought grimly.

Harry barely caught the quiet "I don't know" from the child because he was stuck in his deep thoughts. Quickly coming back to the present he smiled down at the boy in a reassuring way.

"It matters not. I can make a little of everything so you can pick out what you like to eat and the rest I can take." The look the wizard got from the small child was like the one when you watched something you thought unbelievable happen, showing you that it wasn't as impossible as you had thought.

Harry mentally cursed everyone that had harmed and abandoned the child, praying heatedly and angrily that every one of the fuckers would die a very painful death, preferably by his own hands.

When reaching the kitchen he carefully sat the child down on one of the chairs so Naruto could see him cooking and also so that Harry had a good view of the boy just in case something happened. Harry called himself paranoid quite often, but it had saved him a few times so he wasn't complaining.

Under the child's watchful eyes Harry cooked eggs, bacon, scones, heated up some bread, made tea for himself and chocolate for Naruto and served everything on the table with some strawberry jam and cheese for the bread.

The boy's eyes were as big as plates and he didn't seem to know what to think. Chuckling slightly, Harry sat down next to the child and urged the boy to take a bit of everything. The boy needed no more pushes and eagerly ate until he couldn't press down anymore of the delicious food.

The whole eating process had only taken a couple of minutes for the child, but Harry didn't say anything about it. There was really no need for the boy to eat so fast, the food wasn't going to disappear, but Harry was content to let him discover that in time when the boy trusted him more.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After waking up in the stranger's arms, Naruto had been confused at first, but after a second his memories returned to him. Since he did not exactly know how to behave towards the kind man, Naruto become a little shy and blushed a bit when he realized that the man was holding him with his arms and was smiling gently at him. When the man offered him food and asked what he would like to eat, Naruto almost exploded with happiness and giddiness.

Never had someone been so caring and considerate towards him and actually asked how he felt and what kind of food he wanted to eat.

Naruto knew that he should be more suspicious about the stranger, the old man Hokage had warned him about such people, but he really liked the man for some reason. The man's eyes, Harry's eyes, Naruto reminded himself, were so warm and kind when he looked at him.

Like he actually was worth something, the thought warmed his heart like never before.

In Harry's arms, he felt so safe and loved that he never wanted the man to let go. Naruto felt slightly disappointed when he was placed on the chair in the large and homey kitchen. It was forgotten as soon as the whole room smelled of bacon and eggs and Naruto felt himself grow even more hungry.

When the food was placed on the table and Naruto got the permission from the man to eat, he didn't hesitate to stuff himself full with the delicious smelling food. He couldn't remember when he could freely eat as much as he liked and got to pick what he wanted to.

When Naruto felt that he couldn't eat more even if his life depended on it, he let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair. The child peered hesitantly at the young man that was currently reading a paper while sipping on a cup of coffee. He had trouble placing the stranger, what he really wanted or if he had some motivation behind his actions. Of course Naruto couldn't see the subtle way the man moved or acted to make him feel safe, he was only four years old after all.

Naruto's mind and brain could only recognize that this man had not only saved him from the villagers, but had also healed him as well, acting as if it was the most normal thing in the world. No, Naruto could not fully see who the man was, but he relied on his instinct that said that the man meant him well and would not harm him.

For him that was enough.

A soft 'clink' interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to see that the man had finished his coffee and was currently folding the newspaper. Soon the young man turned his attention to him and smiled slightly.

"Would you like to help me with the dishes?" The man's voice was pleasant to listen to. It sounded like a waterfall that soothed the rocks on the ground, making them smooth and round. Naruto nodded excitedly and hopped off the chair.

The man took one of the chairs and put it next to the kitchen counter. Naruto felt himself being lifted up on the chair and waited patiently for the man to gather the dishes and put them into the dish water.

"Would you like to scrub or clean the dishes?", Harry asked him softly while putting in the dish soap into the water.

"Can I clean the dishes?", Naruto murmured quietly, looking excited that he actually got to choose which one he wanted to do.

"Of course.", the man simply said with a small smile on his lips and took a rag from the cupboard and handed it to the child to dry with.

They started working under comfortable silence that was only interrupted by the splashing from Harry when he scrubbed the dishes and when Naruto placed a dry dish on the counter further away so it wouldn't get wet again.

The peace however was abruptly broken when Naruto accidentally swished his arm to get rid of some soap in Harry's direction. The soap splashed loudly right into Harry's face, making him soaking wet when the liquid ran onto his blue shirt.

A deathly silence dominated the kitchen for several seconds and Naruto could feel his heart beat wildly in his chest. Would the man yell and hit him? Would he cast him out of the house? The thoughts ran almost faster than the four year old could think them.

Suddenly some soap flew right into Naruto face with a splash and he cried out surprised. He turned to look at the older man and saw him trying to keep himself from laughing out loud. All bad thoughts disappeared as quickly as they had come as he quickly attacked back with vigor.

A wet and soapy war burst out in the kitchen with happy laughter and soft giggling, both sides having the biggest sappy smiles on their faces. If there was any tension before between them that was now blown away as they enjoyed the mock-war.

For several minutes, they continued to play and splash water at each other to fulfill the goal of getting wetter than ever before. Though Naruto soon became tired and the chair he stood on had become wet and slippery under the war game, so when he once again raised his arms to swish some more water and soap on the man, while laughing like never before, he accidentally slipped with a squeak and begun to fall towards the hard gray floor.

Harry reacted fast as he saw the child fall. He quickly reached out with both hands and caught him securely in his arms. He gently stood up while carrying the boy bridal style. Both had flushed cheeks and big wide smiles while giggling slightly. Without letting the boy down he addressed him softly.

"We look like two drenched cats!", Harry chuckled amused at the giggling child in his arms. "I believe it is time for a bath and no, you have no say in it", the wizard spoke firmly when the boy opened his mouth to most likely protest against it.

"Fine,", Naruto teased grumpily, trying very hard to hide the big happy smile at the thought. He really didn't mind because this would be the first time he would be able to bathe together with someone that actually seemed to like him. The man that held him like he was something precious was both kind and funny and Naruto had no problem in trusting him anymore. The man even saved him from the fall, which was more than what anyone else had done for him.

Harry laughed lightly and started to walk toward the bathroom. While they argued almost heatedly about who won the soap war, Harry sat down the child on the toilet to get balsam, shampoo, shower gel and some body lotion for Naruto's dry skin on the wounds that were most likely sore and irritated from the looks of it.

He turned one of the knobs on the bathtub and held a hand under to check the temperature of the water. Once satisfied, he helped the shy child out of his borrowed pajamas. Then he picked up him in his arms again to lower him slowly and gently into the lukewarm water.

The water only reached the child's waist, but was filled with bubbles that smelled like strawberry and soft lime. He backed away a few steps and sat down on the soft blue carpet while watching Naruto played with the bubbles by throwing them into the air and then trying to catch them in his hand again, failing every time.

A small amused smile played on Harry's lips and he let his mind wander to whatever his brain decided to think about. Slowly he recalled the first time he had seen the supposed power user in this world, it still amazed him how different it was and what the people used it were capable of…

*******Flashback*******

_In the morning, Harry had walked into the nearest village from the place where he had landed from the spell. He still hadn't figured out where he was or what the small village before him was named even though he had tried to read the minds from the people that walked out of the village. The only thing he had gained from them was how high the price was for rice and how cheap it was to buy clogs, not exactly the information he was searching for. _

_As he really didn't want to be noticed for his apparently strange clothing and dialect, he placed the a weak notice-me-not charm on himself and transfigured some of his clothes to match what the other people wore to fit in better. The charm wouldn't make people not see him but it would mask his outsider features and make them believe he was one if them, because he wanted to be able to interact with the villages. _

_The need to stay as unnoticed made Harry think that maybe he was just a little bit paranoid, but after thinking of some accidents that had happened because he didn't disguise himself, he quickly changed his opinion. It was good that some war habits had stayed, others not so much. Harry saw this one as a good habit to keep and have because it could save his life tremendously many times without him even knowing it._

_As he walked through the marketplace, he saw a lot of the things that the salesmen and women sold were different even though he could recognize a few from his own world. Nothing seemed utterly weird or out of place so he allowed himself to relax just a bit._

_This was a big mistake on his part because, as soon as he'd relaxed and started to look for somewhere good to stop and eat, something flashed past him on the ground and on the roof, making the wind ruffle his hair._

_Harry's head shot up immediately, yet he only caught the back of two black clothed people that jumped on the roof at an incredibly fast pace. Slightly stunned and shocked, he didn't realize that he had stopped walking and that his jaw was hanging rather funny, but some of the nearest people, two old men that ate at a sushi stand, chuckled slightly at his expression, not that he noticed. _

_When the sound of the people in the market got through his head, Harry had to shake himself out of the daze he had somehow fallen into._ ´What in Merlin's name was that? People don't just jump on the roof as if it's nothing!´_Harry mentally screamed and started to look around him._

_None of the others seemed to be disturbed by what happened. _'I couldn't even feel any use of magic, so it has to be something else that makes them able to do that kind of thing._'_

_As Harry screamed in his own mind, two middle aged wives walked past him while muttering and chattering about something that caught his attention immediately. _

_"There they go again, those 'Ninjas.' Acting like they own everything or something," One of them sneered hatefully. She was the taller of the two, dressed in a bright yellow dress with small white flowers decorated neatly. _

_"Yes I know, they act as if they are better than us normal people.", the other wife replied curtly. "Just because they are stronger and better trained with chakra or something, doesn't mean that they can walk all over us."_

_"Exactly, they have no respect for us other people and I doubt they ever will…" The taller scowled darkly just as they walked past Harry and out of his hearing range. _

_Though he had heard the whole conversation that was possible for him to listen in on, his mind and thoughts had stopped at the word 'ninjas'. Where had he heard that word before? Harry was sure he must have read it somewhere when he had researched about the different destinations. _

_Then it hit him like a ringing bell. He was in the elemental country! The text from the book jumped in front of him as he remembered. _

_**'The elemental country is especially famous for its magnificent well-kept forests as well as its powerful ninjas. These people, that are called ninjas, use the power of chakra to manipulate the five elements water, fire, earth, wind and lighting. Chakra is a different kind of energy, but at the same time very similar to Magic. **_

_**While magic comes from within and you have to be born with a magic core to be able to use it, chakra, on the other hand, is something everyone can tap into with the right kind of training. **_

_**The training has to begin early in life because when you are older, the system in the body that channels the chakra is difficult to expand. This means that if an older person wishes to train in chakra use he will, even if he trains hard and long, have a low chakra reserve to use, ultimately making it useless in the end because he will only be able to use low rated jutsu which is what ´spells´ are called in these lands. **_

_**A child's system on the other hand is very easy to manipulate, form and expand under a couple years of training. **_

_**A few of them, often the strongest ones, have a contract to an animal allowing them to summon them when the user is in danger or simply need help. The animal contract varies from frogs to birds to lions. **_

_**All animal summons demand different offers and sacrifices to complete the contract; it can be a promise to help as many as possible or, in the snake contract, kill a hundred humans to give the souls to the snake king Manda. **_

_**There are also known ninja clans that possess bloodlines, which is a special ability only possible for the said users. It can be from the ability to create ice mirrors to or turn the body into stone at will. Many of these bloodlines center to the eye, giving the man or woman better eye sight, the ability to see though walls, analyze another's attack and copy it, hypnotizes with eye contact or read someone's mind as easily as a book…'**_

_Dragging himself back to the present he sighed deeply before slowly beginning to walk again while mulling over the new pieces of information. He carded a hand through his wild black hair, wondering absently if he should let it grow long enough to cover the still annoyingly present scar on his forehead. _

'Oh well, nothing I can do about it anyways. I haven't got any reason to go back to my old world anytime soon. I suppose I can think of it as a holiday or a long vacation. As long as I avoid these ninjas and other suspicious people that could land me in trouble, I should be fine, right?' _Harry mentally drawled slowly and then he grinned slightly at the thought of the trouble he could find in this land where no one knew him._

_On the outside, he walked with a new energy in his steps as he strolled the streets with a silly grin on his face for no apparent reason, making the folks around him glance at him suspiciously. _

*******End of flashback*******

Harry helped Naruto wash and rinse his hair with a cream that smelled like strawberry, swabbing and cleaning his body with a lotion that made the skin soft and silky. He picked up a fluffy white towel and wrapped it around the child, careful of the wounds that had not yet fully healed.

He then picked him up; despite the protests from the boy that he could indeed walked by himself. He then carried him to the bedroom and sat him down on the bed. Harry told Naruto to stay and wait for him there before going to get some clothes.

Harry entered a walk-in closet that contained everything from clothes, shoes, and jewelry to hats and gloves. Picking out a pair of light blue shorts and a long sleeved denim shirt, Harry decided after a couple of seconds that he should take a few more different colored clothes to let Naruto choose which he wanted to wear.

With a swift wave of his hand, he shrunk all the clothes to fit the tiny boy and, after that he picked out some clothes for himself, he then walked out of the closet and closed the door after him.

Naruto had obediently stayed put on the bed after the older man left the room. Still swept in the soft towel he felt giddy and happy. Naruto didn't want to leave the kind man that had taken care of him so gently and carefully, but knowing everything good would eventually come to an end, he decided to make the best of the time that he was allowed to stay.

Perhaps the man,_ 'Harry'_, Naruto reminded himself, would visit him sometimes later on or maybe he could come back here to visit him?

Naruto's thought was interrupted by Harry walking into the room again with a huge bundle of cloths in his arms. Naruto watched with large eyes as the man set all the clothes on the bed and spread them out so all were visible.

The man straightened from his bent position and smiled at him with what looked like a satisfied grin on his face.

"I don't know what you wanted to wear so I picked out a bit of everything. Go on, take what you want.", Harry insisted with a gentle smile and took up his own clothes from the bed.

As he turned to watch the child, he saw in bewilderment that he had tears in his eyes that threatened to swell over any second. He quickly dumped his clothes on the floor and took the boy in his arms and settled him on his lap. "What's wrong little one?"

Naruto only shook his head furiously and refused to speak while silent tears started to slowly make its way down his face. Harry sighed softly before embracing him tighter into his chest and soothed him by gently caressing his back. After a couple of seconds, the child visibly calmed down and the tears stopped flowing.

Harry tried again to make Naruto talk about what made him so upset, but to no avail. Gripping the child's jaw carefully so that they had eye contact, Harry tried to calm the child further.

"I can understand that you wouldn't want to talk to someone you barely know or trust, but I honestly only want the best for you little one.", Harry reassured him with a soft and quiet voice.

"Someone once told me, I believe it was a dear friend of mine, a quote of a very famous man. That sentence, later on, became very precious to me; it probably saved my life a few times when the world seemed to want to eat me whole. It went like this; **Joy shared is joy doubled, grief shared is grief halved.**

"To me, it means that when you feel happy or joyful, you should share it with your loved ones or those that need it more than yourself. When you experience hardship or grief, you should talk to someone that you trust so that he or she can help and support you and in return you will be there for that person when they need it. Do you understand what I mean?" Harry waited for the boy to nod or shake his head patiently. He got a small, almost undetectable, nod and he saw the boy take a deep breath, obviously gathering his courage to speak.

"I… I don't understand why.", the child timidly whispered into the silence that had crept into the room.

"What is it that you don't understand Naruto?" Hearing his name from the man's lips in a gentle tone seemed to give the boy strength to continue.

"Why are you so n-nice to me?", the child breathed out quietly in broken speech that practically screamed that he had had no one in his early years to teach him to speak. "No one is that to me. I mean you are so nice and kind to me! I don't understand why."

Harry sighed softly once again and made himself violently squash the injustice of the statement. It made Harry want to bang his head against his wardrobe in a fit of rage. Such a small child as Naruto should not need to think or ask about such things.

"I guess the best way to explain my feelings is that I see myself in you when I was young.", Harry spoke slowly so that the four year old could follow and understand better what he said.

"I myself had a similar childhood and I hate to see someone else experience it. I may have rescued you because of those feelings at first, but I can honestly say right now that I like you for who you are. Because you haven't known me from before, you wouldn't see the changes that have happened to me just because you are here. I feel more alive than I have been for several years. Perhaps this is a little forward of me, but I must at least ask you, would you like to stay here with me?"

Naruto's eyes become even bigger than before and the tears started to fall again in rivers, but this time it was of joy and happiness. He threw himself hard into the older man's chest and tightened his arms around the man's waist. He nodded his head vigorously and gifted Harry with a blinding smile through his tears.

"Really? I can stay here? With you?" The shy and childish voice was so full of hope that it made Harry teary-eyed.

This was truly something worth fighting for and definitely something worth living for. Harry felt it with his whole heart and he already could picture himself raising and protecting Naruto until he no longer needed him. Perhaps the wheels of life had already started turning, shifting in his favor for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.

"Yes, I would very much like it if you could stay with me.", Harry stated proudly. "It would make me very happy and pleased."

Naruto graced him with another beaming smile before yawing loudly. Harry took it that Naruto was too tired to talk anymore and turned around to tuck the child into the bed to get a well-deserved nap. The day must have been very taxing for the child with him appearing and all the other things.

He pulled the covers so just the head was seen and Naruto gratefully burrowed himself deep into his cocoon of warmth like a slug. He yawned again and felt himself getting drowsy. The last thing he felt before succumbing to sleep was a light kiss on his left eyebrow and a hand that brushed his yellow hair from his face softly.

Harry watched the child sleep for a few minutes with a silly lopsided grin on his face. Perhaps his family was finally growing again? Could he really hope for that after what happened with his last two ones? Harry pulled at a loose strand of his hair and chewed his bottom lip raw. Could he really risk it again? He already had begun to love the kid, but there had to be a catch. There was _always_ a catch to almost everything. He absently wondered what it could be this time.

He could feel himself getting tired as well, but the smell from the soap reminded him that he needed to take a shower before he joined Naruto on the bed to sleep.

After picking up his clothes that had been thrown on the floor he walked to the bed and let a hand gently trace the soft cheek that only could belong to a child with a smile on his lips and a fond gaze in his eyes. He turned around and snuck silently out towards the bathroom.

'_This time will be different. I will make sure of that even if I have to sacrifice my own life'._

* * *

**There you have it readers the third chapter! It became 17 almost 18 pages in word, I am so proud. I had lots of fun writing this one and I hope you readers out there like it as much as I do!**

**I am planning to make an appearance of the Third Hokage in the next chapter. Whether he will be a next Dumbledore or not, I can't say just yet. **

**Does anyone want to have anyone else making an appearance when Harry visits the village in his human form? Perhaps Kakashi? Shikamaru? Anko? Someone else? Please review and tell me if you have any requests. **

**I thank you for reading my story and hope you will continue in the future!**

**Next chapter: **_Decision_

**Arrivederci! **

_**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**_


	5. Decision

**Hello there!**

**I now present you 4 chapter!  
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews I have gotten! They really keep me going I must admit!**

**I tried to get it finished before Christmas but something got in the way. At least it got done before the new year. **

**This chapter has been looked over by my Betas, 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX' and '****no one of importance'****, give them a cheer for a wonderful work!**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

In this age, which believes that there is a short cut to everything, the greatest lesson to be learned is that the most difficult way is, in the long run, the easiest.

**Chapter 4**

"Normal speech"

_'Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

_**Previously:**_ '_This time will be different; I will make sure of that even if I have to sacrifice my own life'._

* * *

Harry awoke hours later to a low rumbling noise. It almost sounded like a lion or possibly a werewolf. Blinking repeatedly, while trying to locate the sound, he discovered that it was neither a wolf nor a lion. Smiling fondly, Harry gently nudged the boy on the shoulder to awake him. Apparently the child's stomach had decided it wanted dinner pronto, even though the mind was still asleep.

As he watched Naruto coming out of his sleepy state, he cast a silent and wandless spell to tell the time. Black numbers appeared above the still sleepy boy's head reading 14.35, then disappeared as if someone had been blowing them away.

_´We almost slept four hours! Must have been more tired than I had thought.' _Harry mentally grumbled to himself as he carded a hand through his hair.

Harry waited patiently for Naruto to fully wake up before pushing him gently off the bed and then helped him dress in a new set of clothes. Picking out light grey shorts and a black t-shirt with a white sun on in the middle for the boy and dark blue jeans and a green t-shirt for himself, he then took Naruto's hand and led him to the kitchen.

"Wh' are we goin' to the kitche'? Are we eatin' again?" Naruto curiously asked while bouncing slightly in his step, holding the hand in a strong grip to not lose it.

"Naruto, you are a growing boy and a growing boy needs his food to get bigger and stronger.", Harry grinned and teased him a bit. "Where I live, no one is going hungry, so I want you to tell me immediately when you want to eat. Okay?", he insisted strongly to make the small boy understand that it was okay to ask for food whenever he felt like it.

Naruto nodded happily and beamed at him. "Unde'stood, 'Arry.", Naruto shyly replied, a little bit unsure about using the kind man's name. Sneaking a peek at the older man's face made his doubt melt away like ice in the sun.

Harry was possibly beaming at him and in his eyes was a slight twinkle, making his face light up beautifully. Before the young boy could react, he found himself in the air and then in the arms of the older man, getting into a tight hug which made the other hugs that he had gotten in his life seem like a brief touch in comparison.

"You finally said my name Naruto. You have no idea how happy that makes me! For that, you get a dessert after dinner today.", Harry vowed lovingly and planted a small kiss on the sun colored hair.

Naruto couldn't keep the shout of joy from slipping and hugged the man back as hard as he could. He leaned back to look at the older man's face and a wide smile spread in his face.

"Real'y, I get desse't? Yatta!", Naruto burst excitedly and wiggled slightly to be set down on the floor again.

On the floor once more, he raced towards to kitchen and jumped up on the chair with a hopeful expression on his face. Harry laughed at the bright child and walked with a more sedative pace into the kitchen.

An hour later, the meal of macaroni and bacon was cooked and eaten. Naruto waited with as much patience a four year old could have, which meant he was bouncing and almost jumping off the chair to make Harry eat faster and take out the dessert quicker. When that didn't work, he pouted cutely and used his puppy eyes.

Harry was having fun teasing the boy by eating slower purposefully and did it so obviously that even Naruto could see he was faking it. He had to admit, he had a hard time resisting the cute pout on the child's lips, making a mental note to remember so the next time Naruto used it, he would be prepared to steel himself in time.

That face with those lips and eyes were a deadly combination that Harry learned to avoid rather quickly.

After dinner, Harry decided to introduce the child to some wizarding games and toys. He had found a mountain of them in a hidden part of the war-lock, while puzzled how and why they were there in the beginning, he didn't complain. It probably was some house elf that packed it down after finding it in some corner in the attic in the large manor. That was the only explanation he could come up with when he had found it by an accident.

He debated what would be fun for the boy, when he saw the small miniature broom on top of a soft plush animal. He vaguely remembered Sirius telling him that he had given him one when he had been small, much to the mortification of Lily who thought, despite the safety measures the broom had, it was still dangerous to her baby boy.

He took the shrunken child broom and ushered the child to dress in a shrunken jacket and shoes and walked outside while holding the child's hand.

Once outside he put down the broom on the green grass and turned around to face the child. He took both hands in his and immediately caught the child's eyes. Not able to suppress his own eagerness, he smiled fondly at the boy's nervous look and decided to reveal a bit of himself.

"Naruto, you recognize the word chakra right?", Harry asked patiently and got a shy nod in answer. "Do you know that the people named Ninja use chakra to do all the amazing things they do? Chakra is a type of energy that almost all people have from birth.", Harry continued as slowly and clearly as possible.

"Real'y? I hav' it too?" Naruto asked energetically, the shyness from before blown away.

"Of course, having chakra is something everyone has here and when you get older, you will understand more about it if you want to become a Ninja...", Harry was interrupted by Naruto, who burst out excitedly, unable to stop himself.

"I ca' be Ninj'a if I wan' to? Eve' some like me?", the last sentence was whispered quietly, while he gripped the hands that held him tightly, eyes staring intently into the elder man's eyes.

"Why do you think that you wouldn't be allowed to be a Ninja, Naruto?", Harry asked confused and saw the child get a bit uncomfortable with the question. He begun to fidget and looked away briefly before seemingly coming to a decision, because he squared his shoulders and met Harry's eyes bravely.

"The other' peopl'... they…", he stopped hesitantly, before sucking in a deep breath and continued in a low whisper, like someone was spying on them and he would be punished for what he was about to say. "They call' me de… demon and… and fre'k." The child was interrupted by being pulled into a fierce hug by the older man.

Harry saw red for a couple of seconds and held the child tightly to his chest, both to sooth the boy and himself. When he collected himself enough to speak, he loosened his hold on the child to look him in the eye with a serious expression.

"You are not a demon or a freak, do you understand me?", Harry spoke slowly and clearly, trying to make the boy believe him. "No matter what anyone says, you Naruto, are a normal, cheerful and bright boy. If anyone says anything else, ignore them and walk away. Do you understand me?"

He got a small shy nod with a genuine smile. Soon, he found himself a child wrapped tightly around him, crying his little heart out. He murmured soothing words and stroked him gently on the back.

Ten minutes later, Naruto had calmed down enough for Harry to continue with what he had tried to say to the child in the beginning. While the boy sat in his lap, he began to explain as simply as possibly about his magic and how it was different from the normal chakra that was known for this world.

The child was silent the entire time, staring at him with wide curious eyes. How much the child really understood was unknown, but at least he had tried. When Naruto was older he could always explain better if he had any questions.

When Harry deemed that he had explained enough, he took out the shrunken broom and enlarged it with a wave of his hand. Setting it on the ground, where it hovered slightly above the grass, Harry turned to the astonished child.

"That, dear child, is a broom that you fly on. It's something from my world and it is very popular with the younger kids." Harry chuckled amused at the shocked look in Naruto's face. "It won't fly higher than a few meters into the air, but I can promise you that will be a lot of fun. Do you want to test it?", Harry asked, though by the look on the child's face it was a very dumb question indeed.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Soon, Naruto was swishing around the large trees while squealing and laughing loudly. He was clearly enjoying himself greatly and Harry couldn't be more pleased with himself for getting the child that happy look on his face.

Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Harry decided that he would teach the child to fly on his own Firebolt when he got older. Harry was soon forced to end the game when it begun to darken outside, which earned himself a cute pout from the child who wanted to continue flying.

"Pleas' can I fly tomorro' too? Pleas'?", the child begged with puppy eyes. "It was so muc' fun. I have neve' had so muc' fun befor'!", he continued to gush out with bright eyes.

Harry let his eyes widen in a look of well-faked disbelief and responded in a shocked tone. "And here I thought that you didn't like it!"

While grinning madly at the answering outburst from the child about how completely wrong he was, he led the boy inside and helped him with taking off his jacket and shoes.

Harry ruffled Naruto's hair, making the spiked hair even more uncontrollable. While other normal children would have shrunken away from the hand and loudly complained about being treated as a baby or a child, Naruto merely smiled with an extremely happy look on his face.

The child continued to chatter about how fast he flew and how high he went into the air in an extremely excited voice. Harry only nodded to show that he was listening while warming up two hot cups of chocolate.

When it was done, he led the child to the sitting room and settled himself on the biggest armchair, pulling the child into his lap, who hadn't stopped chatting and was still going strong. Harry handed him the smaller cup with chocolate and watched satisfied when he took a sip and grinned brightly at him in thanks.

"Do you want to hear about when I learned to fly?", Harry asked the child and snuck an arm around him to hold him tightly and affectionately to his chest.

Naruto nodded energetically because he really wanted to get to know the kind and older man better. He listened, captivated, while Harry begun his tale and hung on every word. He barely noticed when Harry took his empty cup and put it on the table.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

An hour later, Naruto was sound asleep and tucked safely into the large bed with Harry standing above and smiling fondly. He kissed the child's head briefly before exiting the room.

Harry sat down in the chair from before and leaned back, relaxing completely. He couldn't help letting his mind run wild for a while. He honestly loved the short time he had spent with the child and he had felt more alive than ever. He enjoyed every second spent with the boy and he strived to make the child smile and laugh.

Harry was confident he could raise the boy, both in his original world and this one. In the two years he had traveled around, he had gained a lot of information about the land and how the people survived in it. He had seen the suffering of the poor people and the luxury the rich people lived in. Harry wouldn't have any problem disappearing with the child in the mass of people.

Because he so much wanted to just take the child and disappear.

But as usual, when he did something irresponsible or reckless, it almost always came back to bite him in the ass no matter what he did. He really didn't want to risk that with the child that he had come to care for.

Perhaps it was soon time to visit the village leader, what was he called again? Ah yes, Hokage. The leader in this village was called the Hokage. Harry nodded to himself, while planning carefully how he would convince him to let Harry adopt the boy.

Though planning a strategy was not his strongest side, he was more of a 'in the moment' type, meaning he would come up with something in heat of the battle. Maybe not the smartest of things to do, but it was hard to change.

An affectionate smile spread across his face as he thought of his friend Ron. He had been forever blaming and complaining that Harry's strategies were too simple or too soft. Ron was the master at planning a strategy and exposing an enemy's weakness.

Harry shook himself out of the memory lane he had somehow fallen into and decided, after checking the clock, that it was time for him to get to bed. He had been thinking in the sitting room for about two hours without even noticing it.

He yawned and headed to the bathroom to wash himself. Ten minutes later, he snuck down under the sheets quietly to not wake the child up, though a hurricane would not likely wake the child up. He fell asleep while mulling about how he would approach, perhaps, the strongest shinobi of the village and somehow get said person to let Harry adopt the boy without a fuss.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The days flew by quickly as the two got to know each other better and both loved every moment of it. The days always started with Harry and Naruto being woken up by Hedwig, who saw that it was her job to wake up her master and the little boy to start the day. Sometimes, Fawkes appeared by flaming into the room, making the boy jump high up into the air in fright.

Harry, who was quite used to it, wasn't surprised in the least, but it took a few mornings to make Naruto become comfortable and less scared with it. It was hilarious for Harry when Naruto decided to befriend the intelligent white bird one morning. He had walked slowly forward to the place Hedwig was perched on, almost expecting the bird to attack. Harry, who knew that Hedwig would never do that, thought that it looked so funny that he almost couldn't mask his snickers into coughs.

When Naruto finally reached the white bird, he cautiously held out a hand to stroke the bird's soft feathers. The owl sat perfectly still and watched the child with what Harry could see as an amused look. Naruto patted the bird carefully, to not upset it or harm it, and when Hedwig hoo'd softly and nipped his fingers gently, he finally relaxed from the tense standing he had adopted.

That was when Harry finally couldn't hold in his laughter and burst out making the child attack him by throwing himself at him and tickling the older man persistently. It had later escalated into a tickling war that Harry won.

Harry had briefly thought that perhaps his karma had made it known and was repaying him because from what he could tell, karma is not about retribution, vengeance, punishment or reward. Karma simply deals with what is. The effects of all deeds actively create past, present a_n_d future experiences, thus making one responsible for one's own life and the pain and joy it brings to others.

His victory of defeating Voldemort and losing his family at the same time were something that Harry buried deeply into himself behind his Occlumency shields, though it was something that would always be a part of him. Perhaps some God or something out there thought that Harry deserved some happiness. Harry could only thank and take everything that was given to him without complaining and right know, he was thanking whatever higher up that had gifted him with this _precious_ thing called Naruto.

After the morning wake up, a large breakfast followed and after that, Harry began to teach the child to write and read much to the child's joy. Harry had been surprised at the absurdity that no one had even started to help the child begin to write, though he shouldn't really be surprised by it if he looked at the treatment of the boy from before. So he had simply started teaching him, first writing some of the easiest letters. After about an hour, he would then read for the child for about a half an hour from a child's book. Harry would often encourage him to try to find the letters he had been earlier practicing on to easier learn and recognize them.

Then, he would start on the dinner with the help from Naruto, who wanted to help out, but often messed it up most of the time. Harry only laughed and waved it off and let him try it again until he got it right. After dinner, Harry would let Naruto play on his kid broom outside or play an indoor game of some wizarding sort. It usually lasted for several hours, making both slightly tired and Harry would then put Naruto down for a nap.

Harry would often read during the time that Naruto slept or would ponder over his past and future. It often ended with him dosing off and waking up to a cheerful and active Naruto, who liked to jump up into his lap with a bright smile. Harry didn't mind the rather abrupt wakeup call because he liked to wake up to Naruto's beaming smile.

It was beyond bliss for his heart to see the little boy smile so carefree at him with such trust shining in his eyes. The two of them would often talk about funny things that had happened in Harry's past or the `old man´ of Naruto's that the child obviously really liked and, it seemed from Naruto's rather excited chatter, that the man loved the child back as much. Because of this, Harry was very relieved. At least the child had someone that cared for him and tried to help him when it got hard for him.

Then after a light supper, they would often play for about an hour or two before Naruto's seemingly endless energy ran out. Harry would then carry him into the bathroom to make him ready for bed and then tuck him in. Naruto was almost already asleep every time they got to that stage and didn't notice the kiss on his head or the soft click of the door when Harry left the room to read in the sitting room.

All in all, they were both adapting very fast to each other and neither of them wanted to be apart for longer than an hour or two.

_'I should have known that it wouldn't be this peaceful forever.'_ Harry mentally scolded himself when he sensed another ninja flicking past the tent in the early morning.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Two weeks they had spent together without interference of others, but for the last few days, the ninja's movements and frequent appearances had made Harry wonder that maybe someone had noticed the child missing at last. Harry mentally laughed harshly at the person that only now realized that the child was lost. Such a person didn't deserve a child like Naruto, not now nor later, and Harry had no intention of handing the child over what so ever.

'_As you sow, so shall you reap'_ Harry grimly thought. '_If you could not_ _accept the consequences of your actions, then you should not have done it in the beginning'._

Harry breathed deeply when he felt another Ninja sweep past their tent without noticing it at all. Not that Harry was worried at being discovered, the strong wards on the place ensured him that no one would ever find them if he didn't want them to, but he had to wonder how the person looking for them knew that they were hiding around this place in the forest, because the forest was enormous with equally large trees that were packed quite close to each other.

Perhaps someone knew that they were around this area, but not exactly on the spot. It made Harry remember a magical object that could trace peoples whereabouts, but could only show the general area were the person resided.

'_The object surely has to be used by a magical person.'_ Harry thought grimly. He really didn't want to meet any magical people anytime soon, but the thought that a magical thing could be used by a person that didn't have any magic was a rather scary thought for Harry and he wanted the outrageousness of it out of his head before it could explode.

Hedwig, who sat perched on the window lid remained quiet, sensing that her master needed to think in peace. She was rather annoyed at the people that swarmed around her home and disturbed her two precious people. She had taken the young one in weeks ago when he had first patted her for the first time and considered him her human. She graciously shared them with the phoenix when she needed too, but she didn't have to like it. It was not that she didn't like the other bird, she was just rather protective and possessive of those she considered _her _humans.

She really wanted to fly outside and hunt down the disturbing people. She also was rather sure that the male bird wanted to hunt them down too, because for both of them, actions spoke louder than words. Sadly, she knew that her masters didn't want to risk her coming to harm if the intruders decided to kill the offending bird.

Harry was still deep in thought when Naruto woke up next to him and didn't notice when the child kept quiet while watching him openly. When the older man didn't seem to snap out of what he was thinking of, Naruto spoke up clearly.

"Harry-san? What' wron'?"

The soft and concerned voice made Harry return to the matter at hand. Harry turned to face the boy and met the child's chubby, whiskered face that strangely looked serious for once. Harry pursed his lips into a grimace, one eye squinting as he answered.

"I think some people are looking for you, wanting to take you away from me, and I really don't want that.", Harry spoke sadly as he gazed upon the boy before him.

"I don' want to eithe'! I don' want to leav' here!", Naruto yelled out desperately and hung onto the older man that he had come to see as his father figure, though he hadn't told him that yet, he was too shy to say it.

"If that is what we both want, then you don't have to worry, I won't let them take you away from me. Ever. You just have to trust me, can you do that?", the wizard asked seriously, while pulling the child into his lap with his arms around the tiny waist.

The child bobbed his head and responded in a matter of fact tone that Harry was sure the boy mimicked from himself. "Of cours', wha' will you do?" Harry's eyes narrowed in contemplation and stroked the child's back absently before answering the boy's question.

"I think we need to visit your village's leader, the Hokage. If we are lucky, he will allow me to adopt you, if you want to of course." Harry added the last in a rush to hide the slight shiver and dejected tone in his voice. The child stared adoringly at him for a couple of seconds, almost looking like a deer caught in headlights, before hugging him tightly while chanting yes again and again in tears.

Harry breathed out in relief and hugged the boy back. _´As always, I just run in and hope for the best. At least this time it ended well and good. Thank god Naruto agreed to let me adopt him, I don't know what I would have done otherwise really.´_ Harry smiled to himself when he realized how deep his feelings went for the small boy in his embrace and how he hoped the boy felt the same for him.

As Luna once had told him, '_**Enjoy when you can and endure when you must.´**_ He intended to enjoy every second he spent with the boy and he would endure any hardship he would have to face in order to keep him.

"Ol' man hokag' is a very nic' man Harry-san. ", Naruto piped out from Harry's arms. Slightly confused, he loosened his arms to stare at the child's face.

"And how do you know that little one?" Harry asked curiously.

"You kn'w the old man I have tol' you abou'? That's him!", Naruto chirped happily and then proceeded to tell him about all the times the nice Hokage had given him candy, helped him when he had gotten hurt and talked to him with a really soft and gently tone which none of the other adult used with him, it was always a stiff or ruthless tone when they spoke.

Harry couldn't help the chuckle, at the apparent love between the two of them, by the way Naruto chatted about him in his happy and excited voice. Though, Harry was fighting the urge to either laugh hysterically or bash his head off a wall in utter stupidity at the inattentiveness of himself to not realize that the man Naruto had talked so much about was the Hokage.

It could have saved him a lot of time and planning if he knew that before. _`Oh well, I always work best without a whole plan anyways.`_ Harry thought absently.

When he gathered himself enough to hear the boy still speed talking about his time with the Hokage, he decided to interrupt him or his ears would be in danger of falling off.

"Calm down sparky, I hear you quite well without you shouting in my ear.", Harry couldn't help but tease him a bit. Naruto flushed bright red before pouting slightly at his new nickname. He was doing a marvelous impression of a tomato, that Harry couldn't help but out right laugh at it. "What do you say about visiting the old man tomorrow? Would you like that?", Harry offered the child as he leaned towards the headboard of the bed, pulling the boy with him as he went.

"Yes! I woul' real'y like that. It woul' be fun to see the ol' man agai'!" Naruto smiled cheerfully and yawned as he leaned on the older man's chest and felt himself slowly being lulled back into sleep by the steady heartbeat of the wizard.

Harry let the child fall asleep again, after all it was really early in the morning, only five thirty. He felt himself also slip into sleep and decided he would figure out what to do later in the morning.

After all, one should never underestimate the need for a solid night's sleep. You could come up with the wildest and smartest of ideas when you are fully rested.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next morning came fast as Harry begun to get nervous for the independent meeting with the Hokage while Naruto barely could contain himself from jumping around and shouting impatiently to make the day go faster.

At last, when Harry deemed it time to visit the old man, the clock was around eleven thirty in the morning. After an hour of trying to teach Naruto to spell the word ´Happy´ on a piece of paper, which failed splendidly because the said child didn't pay any attention at all, Harry decided it was enough.

Harry thought through what he should do to convince the Hokage. After a few minutes of speed thinking, he decided that all the plans and strategy's he had come up with were practically useless. Better to act on impulse this time, he decided at last. The elements of surprise were a powerful thing after all.

When Naruto asked how they were getting into the village, Harry had only answered with a mysterious tone, "That's for me to know and you to find out.", much to the child's dismay.

Sweeping the child into his arms after dressing him in a jacket and shoes, he proceeded to walk outside. Searching intently with both eyes and magic for any nearby humans and finding none, Harry prepared to Apparate. Harry told the child to hold on tight and close his eyes, before twisting his feet and a part of his body, his vanishing followed by a small popping sound.

They reappeared a few seconds later in an alley not far from the mountain side with the carved past Hokage faces. In fact, they were not far from where Harry had found Naruto little over two weeks ago. They were both equally immobilized as the memories from that time washed over them for a couple of minutes. Harry tightened his hold on the child to comfort both himself and the boy.

"Harry-san?", Naruto whispered quietly into the older man's chest, soaking up the comfort and safety the man gave him like a sponge. Harry responded in a cheerful tone, instantly lightening the mood. "What's the matter sparky? Where did all you energy go from before huh?" The child huffed at the annoying nickname before bursting out into giggles along with the older man's chuckles.

After calming down, Harry set the child down on the ground and opened up his senses to see if there were any people around them_. ´I really don't want those black clothed people after us if I could help it. Was it Anbu that they were called? Eh, whatever.´_ Harry muttered to himself.

Harry picked up on his radar two small dogs, one cat, five birds and 3 adult civilians, seeing as they had a very undersized amount of chakra, and one kid with a pretty high amount of chakra for a child on the roof of the house next to them.

The kid was the closest to them at the moment and Harry decided to check it out, just in case. He picked up the silent Naruto and placed him onto his shoulder and cast a glamour on the child, so if anyone would look at him he would be seen as a backpack. It was a pretty complicated spell, to make something alive look like an object, but Hermione had insisted that they should all learn to do it.

Harry's usual lack of caution and common sense made the others scold him quite often to think before putting it to action. Usually, Harry was tactless as a default, but at least this time he remembered that walking on the streets with a kid that was supposed to be missing was not such a good idea.

He wove a silence spell around them to keep any noise from betraying their position and mask the sound his feet made against the ground, but he adjusted the spell a bit though so he would be able to speak to others if he allowed others to hear him when he spoke to them.

After explaining a bit to Naruto what he needed to do and what Harry expected of him until they reached the tower, he quietly Apparated to one of the corners of the roof, landing convenient in the shadow of a large tree.

He immediately spotted a child sitting in the middle of the roof that looked to be around the age of ten to twelve. The hair of the child was deep raven color and pulled into a low ponytail in the back and from what he could see his eyes were deep black. He had a black tight t-shirt with a net over and the usual standard shinobi pants, slightly baggie and military green. He also had a pair of slippers on his feet.

But what really got Harry's attention was the state of the child. He looked like he had gone through a war, from the bruises and blood on the clothes to the almost dead look in his eyes. Harry knew that children from shinobi families got trained from early age, but this was ridicules and clearly over kill. You didn't get those kinds of wounds from a brawl with other kids. Someone must have been ´training´ the child and then discarded him before taking care of the wounds. Just the mere thought made Harry's blood boil.

Harry could understand that the ninja families wanted to train the children to protect them from possible enemies to the parents, but as important as it is to train them, it is equally important to care and love the child to help it grow into a respectful adult that could clearly see wrong from right. Harry absently noticed that Naruto had begun to doze off on his back, probably bored. It was perhaps for the best anyway.

As always, Harry couldn't leave a child alone, especially a wounded one. He stepped out of the shadow and into the glaring sun. Deciding to make himself noticed he gently cleared his throat to awake the child from whatever his mind had been thinking of.

"Whacha doin' kiddo? Shouldn't you get someone to take a look at those wounds?", Harry drawled while watching him closely.

The reaction to his voice was immediate. Turning his head so fast, Harry thought he would get whip splash, the surprised child stared at him with narrowed eyes. The child was obviously struggling to say something back, but held it in, instead he said something else.

"I'm not a kid." The tone would have shocked Harry if he had not seen the eyes of the child earlier. It was flat and almost emotionless, a remarkable feat for someone so young.

Though not to be deterred, Harry continued in a cheerful tone. "I see, so you are a young man then. If you're not going to the hospital, would you like me to fix you up?"

"I'm fine.", the child muttered out with a frown appearing on his face.

"If my eyes are not deceiving me, then you are certainly not 'fine'. It won't hurt you just let me check you, I promise.", Harry reassured the child with a mild tone. The child's eyes seemed to analyze Harry deeply for a couple of seconds, before giving a short nod of his head.

As Harry started check to kid over, he observed that it looked like the child had been trained for a least a couple of years, if the old scars and the trained body was anything to go at.

"So young man, may I ask what your name is? Or do you want me to continue calling you young man or kiddo?", the older man casually asked the quiet child.

"Uchiha Itachi", the boy ground out after a few tense minutes and, when Harry didn't answer with his own name, the child couldn't hold in his curiosity. "What's yours?"

Harry lifted one of the child's arms and held out his hand the way he had seen the ninja medics do once and healed the bruises and cuts. He then decided to take a step further and heal the scars from before to make them go away. As he made his way to the next arm he remembered that he had not answered the child's question.

"My name is Potter Harry. You can call me Harry if you want to, Itachi-kun.", Harry replied. "Now, can you tell me what happened to you? You don't get these kinds of wound on your own."

The child bowed his head down and mumbled something that Harry couldn't here. Raising a questioning eyebrow, Harry nudged the child gently to get his attention.

"I can't hear you down there you know.", Harry stated patiently. That seemed to be enough for the child, for his head shot up and he looked almost pleadingly at the older man.

"My father, it's my father's training that makes me look like this.", the child begun whispering, but with every sentence the strength and speed of his voice got higher and higher. "I try to make him proud, I really do! I train every day for several hours, it's just never enough for him! I don't want this! I… I feel so broken inside; I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm so tired all the time, so I have no energy or time to see my own little brother. He is only four years old and I fear my father will drive him the same one day. I don't want that so I work hard enough for both of us, even if my bother will never get to know that. The clans pride and honor my ass! I would rather be a normal kid with a normal training…"

As the child continued to rant to his hearts content, Harry healed the last wound on his chest. The wizard could almost not believe what the kid told him. How could someone drive a child so hard that they feel broken? It's not humane. You just don't do that to anyone, young or old.

Harry could feel his heart reach out for the child. How could he leave the child now when he knew what's happening to him? Harry mentally smacked himself in the head. Why did he have to make it so complicated for himself all the time? Not only did he need to get permission for one kid but two, if the other kid wanted to go with him of course.

"Hey Itachi-kun", Harry said slowly. "Do you want to help your brother?" Itachi nodded his head furiously while opening his mouth to reply but Harry interrupted him.

"If you really want to help him, then you have to help yourself first. I suppose that strange broken feeling you have when you trained with your father was your feelings going away. At this rate, in a few years, you will not be able feel anything at all. Not any protective feelings for your brother or any emotions for your own goals." Harry paused to let it sink in and then continued in a steady and firm tone. The child was listening so intently, that Harry almost got goose bumps on his arms.

"From what you told me about your father and clan, they expect you to become the leader in the future. That is not something I can change but I can help you a bit in achieving that while keeping your mind sane and whole. On my travels in this land I learned of something called a ´soul promise´. When you make such a promise you have to think long and hard because when you make the promise, it will affect your whole life.

"The promise can be from protecting your family to helping those who need it more than yourself. I suppose in your case it would be protecting your brother from harm…", Harry was interrupted by a determined Itachi. The child had a glint in his eyes that hadn't existed earlier.

"I will protect my brother from everything, not just harm." Harry smiled fondly at the child. It reminded him when he himself said something familiar to his own friends and a family. Harry could only hope it turned out better for Itachi than it did for him.

"Yes, that sounds better. Now to make it real, you have to state your promise both in voice and in heart while you channel your chakra through your whole body at full speed. You will know if it works. The effect will be that you feel when you break the promise in your heart. The further you go against the promise the more pain you will feel. It is to make sure that you keep it no matter what. For you, it will remind you to feel emotion and keep your mind out of the gutter.", Harry drawled teasingly, getting a snort of amusement from Itachi.

The Uchiha then nodded seriously with a hard glint in his eyes. Nothing could make him stop protecting his brother.

"Are you sure you want to do this? I'm sure there are other alternatives out there that could help you.", Harry admitted, wanting to know if the child was serious in making this decision with a person that was a complete stranger.

The look he got could melt Ice Mountains. The only thing Harry could do was nod meekly and offer a small smile to the unyielding child.

Itachi could barely believe it, someone was finally helping him. Not because of his clan or because they wanted to be on his ´good´ side. He didn't really understand why he trusted this stranger so fast, but it felt right and safe, as weird as that sounded. He normally wouldn't look at a stranger way weaker than him, but this man piped his interest.

The man obviously tried to hide his strength, but Itachi could feel the subtle waves of power from the man. It didn't feel like the ninjas aura that often was hard and stiff, this one was gentle and soothing. He felt like he could expose his whole soul to the man and only get acceptance in response. He was in no way used to it, but soaked it up none the less. Was living with a loving family like this?

Itachi quickly shook himself out of his thoughts when the man began to tell him about something called ´soul promise´. Could it really help him protect his brother both from the world and himself? He was willing to try anything that didn't involve losing his emotions.

After Harry carefully helped Itachi make the promise until it worked, he sat down beside the child and gently laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. He hoped that it could help him in the unsure future.

In a spur of thought from Harry, he pulled up the same coin that they had used in the DA to communicate with each other without getting caught. Under the watchful eyes of the kid, he charmed the coin into a portkey that would lead whoever used it directly to himself wherever he resided at the time.

He placed it in the open hand of the child, who gazed at it warily, before turning his eyes once again to the older man with a question clearly in his eyes. Harry obligated and answered the question while holding steady their eye contact.

"This coin is only going to be used in an emergency situation, are we clear?", Harry stated seriously. After getting a short nod in answer, he continued. "This coin will take you to safety when activated with a code word; it's like a teleport technique if that is easier to understand. The moment you and your brother's life are threatened by someone, use it and it will take you to me, wherever I am. Think of it as a gift from someone who cares.", Harry finished with a gentle smile. This was all he could do for the boy at this moment in time. He honestly wanted to do more, hero complex and all as Hermione used to say.

Itachi's eyes bulged and his mouth was gaping. Who was this man? This kind and strong man who actually seemed to care for him, without even knowing him at all? Itachi chewed thoughtfully on the inside of his lower lip before speaking.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me? Helping me and all?", Itachi questioned with a disbelieving face. He knew that he sounded like a kid, but he couldn't help it. He was both confused and utterly happy.

Harry chuckled at the silliness of the question, but of course in the eyes of the child, it must be strange for a man like him to just turn up and offer help out in the blue. Harry stretched out an arm and ruffled the raven haired kid's hair in a fond gesture, making the child send him a playful glare, though Harry didn't notice. He was thinking of how to answer the kid's question so he could understand it. Why did he do it?

"It felt right and good and I suppose your situation reminds me of when I was younger and many people depended on me so save them, even though it was their war too. No more or less.", Harry bluntly replied. "Promise me that you keep that coin all the time? If you need to use it to escape, grab onto it and make sure that your brother touches it and then say the word `Fawkes` loud and clear. Understood?"

Itachi nodded his head and smiled a wide smile, a very un-Uchiha thing to do. He tightly held the small golden coin in his hand and hesitantly gave the older man a hug, not really sure if he was allowed to. Though, his doubt vanished when Harry returned the hug tightly and offered the child a sweet smile.

"I must go now. I do hope we met again, Uchiha Itachi. I have a feeling that you will get big and strong someday soon. Take care of your brother to the best of your ability.", Harry finished as he gave a last hug and stood up.

"Good bye, Harry-san. I hope we see each other too someday." Itachi bowed slightly in respect before sitting down on the roof again.

Harry nodded and then Apparated just outside of the tower where he knew that the Hokage resided. He wasn't stupid to think that he would be let in if he asked to see the powerful man without a passport that showed who he was. He could, however, just Apparate in the room a hope for the best. Not one of his best plans, he admitted to himself. He surly had some ninja guards that would attack without hesitation.

Harry groaned inwardly. He could see where his thoughts were going already. All he could hope for was that the old man liked Naruto enough to hear him out before ordering his death for trespassing or something.

Harry sighed to himself; his life was never easy no matter what he did. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and muttered out a shield charm that Hermione had created herself because she deemed the other shield spells too weak to protect anyone.

A simple protego only protects for the moment, like in a battle and someone shoots a spell at you and you use the shield, it only helps against just that spell. If the enemy shoots off another spell fast afterwards, then the shield wouldn't hold.

After discovering this, Hermione and, surprisingly, Neville researched and tested out hundreds of different spells before trying to create a new one. It took the both of them a year to fulfill their expectations before they were satisfied with the charm. The creation was named ´_completo de protección escudo_´, in other words ´full shield protection´. Neither of them was especially good in creating a good and flashy name, which was pretty obvious.

If Harry had needed to say the spell aloud, he would have had to say ´_escudo completo_´, though Harry was well over the stage of needing to say it aloud, even when it was created.

The charm was designed to protect the whole body, not just where you aimed the spell, and as long as you have magic and energy left, it stays there until the owner dies, gets unconscious, or removes it himself. The only disadvantage is that when you use it, it shows slightly as a light blue aura around the person it protects. Of course, it has its limit as well. Depending on the person who uses it, the more or less it can take when some attack, but Harry was pretty sure that his shield could stand against most things, maybe not an atomic bomb though.

After Harry was sure that the spell was working as it should, he raised his head and watched the round window, where he was almost a hundred percent sure that the old Hokage was sitting.

He then twisted his head to look at the child on his back to see him deeply asleep, probably snoring as well, but the silence spell he put on him from before stopped any sound from reaching others ears.

Harry decided not to wake the child, wanting to calm the situation down with the Hokage, and the other possible ninja guards, before waking him up. Once again turning his gaze to the window, he concentrated and Apparated silently.

He appeared before a startled old man with a smoking pipe in his mouth. He was sitting in a chair before a large table covered with stacks of paper. By the expression on the man's face, he had clearly caught him by surprise.

Four black clothed ninja appeared faster than Harry could blink, surrounding him from every angle. Though, before anyone of them could act and do anything, Harry spoke with a rather dark and chilling tone, while keeping a calm and controlled face.

"Are you the Sandaime Hokage**, **_**Sarutobi Hiruzen?**__"_

* * *

**Oh a cliffhanger! What will happen next?**

**Finally finished at last! The chapter is over 8,500 words! A new record for me!**

**I hope everyone was satisfied with the scene with Itachi. I really wanted to do more for him in this chapter but I feel that it would be too soon in this story. Perhaps both Itachi and Sasuke will appear later on if you readers want them to. **

**Next chapter: Some action between Sarutobi and Harry!**

**Thanks for all wonderful reviews I have gotten! I thank you with my whole heart "bows deeply".**

**Next chapter: **_Adoption_

**Arrivederci! :)**

_**~~Tigersissi~~**_


	6. Adoption

**Hello everyone out there that read this story!**

**Finally the fifth chapter is done and out!**

**I got amazing response to the last chapter which made me a very happy girl indeed. I soared past a hundred reviews so fast I barely could react! Simply amazing and astonishing! God I love you people! "Sniff" **

**Because of the enormously good response I got so motivated that I began to write on the next chapter immediately. As I usually pause for a few days after posting a chapter before starting on the next chapter.**

**This chapter has been looked over by my Beta, 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX', give her a cheer for wonderful jobb!**

**Disclaimers: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped._

**Chapter 5**

"Normal speech"

_'Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

_**Previously: **__"Are you the Sandaime Hokage_, _**Sarutobi Hiruzen**__?"_

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind was in a state of panic, not that anyone could see or notice it. He was a master at hiding any emotion he didn't want to reveal. Naruto, the boy he saw as his grandchild, was missing. Apparently he had been gone for about two weeks, but it could've been longer for all he knew.

He wasn't blind to the village's hate for the boy, as much as he was pained to admit it. He honestly tried to help the boy as much as his schedule and time allowed him, but being Hokage for one of the largest hidden ninja villages in the world had its downsides. The never ending search for traitors or spies, the endless paperwork that varied between missions from other villages and his own, to complaints from the civilians about someone that played their music too loud one night.

To put it bluntly, Sarutobi didn't have a lot of time outside of the office for either his family or his friends.

Still, he tried to visit the boy as much as he could. Every time someone hurt him, he would get furious and sentence the attackers to death or prison for many years. It wasn't easy, however, to find the attackers when the guards he set on the boy refused to do their job properly. They would watch the boy, yet when the village people attacked him, they just stood to the side and watched, even though they are supposed to be protecting him.

The only people Sarutobi knew would help him, regardless of the demon trapped inside the child's body, was Hatake Kakashi and Jiraya the Sannin, but none of them where available or even suitable to take care of boy.

To start with, Kakashi was Naruto's father's, Minato's, student. He took the death of Minato very harshly and decided to bury his grief in work and deadly missions. The Hokage sometimes worried for the teen, but there was not much he could do. The incident that took Minato's life drastically lowered the shinobi population and Sarutobi needed every ninja he had to manage the village's safety with all the missions that fed the village economy.

As such, he could not deny the man's request for higher ranking missions, meaning they were more dangerous, because there were so few people that could take them, succeed and come home alive in the process.

Then there was Jiraya. Though he was a very strong and dangerous person when threatened, he couldn't be trusted with a child any more than fire and water could get along. The man wasn't even in Konoha at the moment and had not been for the last two years, though Sarutobi did receive regular reports about his findings and scouting almost every month.

Jiraya was also a very well-known and wide-spread pervert that regularly spied on the women in the bathhouses. When asked, he would only say that he collected information for a new book that he was eagerly writing whenever he had time.

To put it bluntly, Sarutobi would never put such a young child in that man's care, no matter how trustworthy he might be. Jiraya was, after all, his former student, but sadly it did not change the Hokage's view on him with the care of a child.

No, Sarutobi was forced to place the child in an orphanage until he was old enough to live by himself, but much to the old man's grief, the orphanage repeatedly continued to throw the child out for his ´demoness´ or something like that. No matter how much he threatened them with prison and death, they just wouldn't change. Perhaps the worst thing of all was that little and adorable Naruto didn't understand at all why the adults hated him with such passion. The Hokage couldn't bear to tell him the reason why, while he was so young and wouldn't completely understand anyway.

Sarutobi had been informed by one of his ninjas that didn't hate the child as harshly as the others, that the boy was lost and could not be found. After an investigation made by the Hokage himself, he could safely say the child had been gone for over two weeks or more. The village people and ninja refused to cooperate any further or plainly didn't know. Not that they cared what happened to the boy anyway.

Sarutobi had immediately set out his most trusted hunters and Anbu to search for him throughout the whole village and the forest. After two days of failure, the Hokage began to believe that the boy was dead. The child could have been killed weeks ago or been kidnapped by someone or gotten lost in the forest and been killed by some animal. The endless possibilities, some more gruesome than others, didn't help the old man's mind and sanity.

He didn't want the council to sniff out that the child was missing either. They would no doubt throw a feast or a party for the whole village in gleeful joy. After all, they had made anything Sarutobi wanted to give or say to the boy harder with their closed-mindedness.

The Hokage had even wanted to adopt the boy, but had been ruthlessly denied by the council's men and women. The other clan's either wanted the child's power or wanted nothing to do with him, though the majority of them would see the boy dead if given the chance.

The Hokage sighed to himself on a bright early morning after two days of searching. How could he ever forgive himself if the boy was indeed dead? How could he ever face Minato the day he died if it was so?

After being occupied with searching for the child, the paperwork had been begun to pile up and now it had reached such heights that he could no longer ignore it. He also waited for reports from different ninjas, one about an assassination mission and three spying missions. All was due this early morning before ten-o-clock.

He let none of his worries for the boy show on his face as he was never alone in his office. The four Anbu guard were always present, and though they tried to mask their chakra, he always sensed them. He wasn't a Hokage for nothing after all. It wouldn't do for the others to see his moment of weakness. Outwardly, he was as calm as ever, but his mind was whirling with possible reasons for the boy's absence.

After working and listening to all the reports for several hours, the clock struck eleven and Sarutobi decided to take a brief moment to relax. Bringing forth his trusty old pipe, he smoked for a couple of minutes before he began to feel a strange presence outside. It was very subtly hidden, not hostile, but it wasn't emotionless either. It was almost soothing in a way, that Sarutobi felt a spark of familiarity. Straightening in his chair, he wracked his mind for information on where he could have felt the presence before.

Coming up blank, he alerted his guards with a hand sign that someone was close who was not a Konoha Nin, in case they hadn't noticed. What he had not been prepared for was a lithe young man with black long hair in a tight braid and astonishing green eyes to just ´pop´ into the middle of his office without giving it away with his chakra signature, that always happened when someone used the teleportation jutsu.

Controlling his surprised face into a passive mask, as his Anbu guards surrounded the still man, he prepared himself to speak, but was beaten to it.

"Are you the Sandaime Hokage, **Sarutobi Hiruzen?**_"_

Momentarily in shock by the cold, icy tones and the commanding waves of power that radiated from the young man, which was in no way chakra, made it difficult for him to compose himself.

Once again calm and in control, he met the young man's eyes and marveled silently by the beauty they held before responding.

"Yes, I am. Who are you and what do you want?", the elder man commanded in a stern tone, allowing nothing, but the answer he was seeking. The Hokage decided to remain sitting in his chair, feeling content that his ninjas were surrounding him and restraining the stranger from doing anything.

Though Harry always hated to do what others told him to do, especially adults and elderly people like Dumbledore, he also hated people that tried to corner him and make him do something like in this situation. So he decided to play by his own rules; meaning asking the question and getting the answer, though saying his name was probably something he had to do anyway.

"The name is Harry Potter and I believe I have something that you have been searching for.", Harry responded in a monotone voice that betrayed none of his feelings as he studied the old man before him. He wasn't worried about the people surrounding him at all; if they would do anything that could possibly break through his shield, it would warn him ahead of time. Besides, they were, at the moment, a bit ´stuck´. _´Quite literally´_, Harry cackled evilly to himself.

The man before him looked old, not as old as Dumbledore, but quite close. Luckily for the Hokage, he did not remind Harry of his late headmaster at all, making Harry give him a chance to explain himself before he set his judgment on him at least.

"Something I seek, you say? You will have to expand and explain it somewhat more for me, I'm afraid.", the Hokage stated cautiously, after all, the man had not made any move to attack or harm him, yet.

"No riddles or games old man, if you don't know what I mean, then I will return to where I came from and take it with me in the process and, believe me, you will never find me unless I allow it. Tell me what I have and we will discuss things more seriously.", Harry snapped angrily and met the elder man's eyes defiantly.

"I see, I don't know who you are to say such things to a man of as high a stature as I or what powers you wield to make it happen, but I will take you seriously as you demand.", Sarutobi offered gently to the man and awaited the response.

_'A good beginning makes a good end',_ Harry muttered to himself, before drawing himself taller from his already short height and inserting a slight bit of confidence into his tone as he stood proudly.

"Good, then what is it that you seek at the moment? Answer me that and I will reveal if it's true or not.", Harry answered in a clipped tone, very happy that Naruto continued to sleep and didn't see him act like this in front of the man he obviously liked very much. But Harry needed proof that the man was genuine and not some fake as he discovered that his former mentor revealed himself to be. He didn't want to make the same mistake again, especially as this involved a small child such as Naruto.

Sarutobi sighed heavily as he contemplated the young man ahead of him with a critical eye. What could the man indeed have that he searched after? Something about his enemy's, hidden village of Iva or Kumo perhaps? No he had his spies on them. Some artifact that had been stolen from Konoha? Information? A person? '_A person, no- but that's-'._

Suddenly, he dropped his pipe in shock as he froze and burst out, "Naruto! Do you know where he is? What have you done to him!", Sarutobi demanded to know in his most deadly voice he could muster at the moment.

Narrowing his eyes, Harry answered coldly. "I haven't done anything else then help the child from a crowd of villagers. I saved the child from being beaten in a dark alley and he would have surely died had I not come. I took him home with me and healed him myself and, from what I have heard from him, this has happened several times already.", Harry hissed angrily, as he spoke he saw the Hokage sink further down into the chair in shame.

"I didn't blame you, the Hokage, at first. After all you can't know and check on every orphan child yourself if you don't know them personally. But after knowing that Naruto's nice ´old man´ was in fact the Hokage himself, then I laid the whole blame on you. You are one of the most powerful men alive today and you couldn't even protect a child that you knew from being beaten, starved, and thrown out on the street. Apparently, the rumors' about you being one of the best and kindest Hokage in the elemental land is false and bullshit indeed.

"I asked myself, why such a man as yourself, could watch a child as bright and brilliant as Naruto get beaten without doing anything. With all your power and wisdom, you surely are a failure as a human being and a man.", Harry finished grimly with hard eyes, seeing how the words pierced the man who seemingly aged in front of him.

The silence hung heavily in the air as Harry refused to say anything more. He wanted to know what the old man would say in his defense. Depending on the answer, Harry would set his opinion about him, though he didn't expect in the least the reply he got.

After mentally seeking forgiveness from Minato for neglecting his child, who needed his help more than anyone else in his mind, Sarutobi lifted his hand and motioned for his guards to leave the room. Getting a brief hesitation he sent them a hard glare which made them obey immediately.

Sarutobi pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaled some smoke from his pipe and sighed deeply.

"There are no excuses I can give you or the child that could forgive my actions, or lack of them. All I can say, is that I tried with the small time I had to help Naruto. I must admit that I have become lax with the ruling as the council is on my back at my every decision I make for the boy. You have to understand that running a ninja village of this size is an enormous task for one man alone, so the council itself is necessary and cannot be disabled however much I would have wanted to."

The Hokage sighed again and straightened his back to peer closer at the young man before him. "From what I gather from earlier, you seem to care a great deal for the boy and also the way you dress proves that you are not from Konoha. My guess is that you have no idea what the Kyuubi no Yoko is?"

After getting a short strained nod from the younger man, Sarutobi continued in a grave voice that spoke of sadness and regret.

"What I'm about to tell you is S -classified information and cannot get out of these walls or you will be sentenced to death. Are we clear?"

Getting a hard and icy look that Sarutobi translated as a ´understood´ he continued slowly.

"The reason for Naruto's bad treatment is because of the Kyuubi, a demon that attacked this village four years ago. You see, Naruto's late father was this village's forth Hokage before he died. My successor. When the demon attacked, Minato, Naruto's father, came up with a plan to seal the beast, as it is impossible to kill a demon, into a newborn child to save the village. Of course, such a powerful seal has its price. Minato's soul was taken by the shinigami to be forever tortured in its stomach.

"Minato, the kind soul he was, could not seal the demon into any child. Lucky or unlucky, Naruto was born that very same day, October the tenth. When giving birth, Naruto's mother, Kushina Uzumaki, died from blood loss, the poor soul. When Minato succeeded at sealing the beast into little Naruto, he was then left alone in the world. Minato's last wish was for the boy to be seen as a hero, but as you can see that is not the case at all."

_'No kidding',_ Harry thought grimly.

"So many civilian and ninja died in the attack, and there are so many mourning people that would love to take out their frustration and sadness on an innocent child that had done nothing wrong at all. Grief can cause people to do things they would never think about doing normally. People say and do things they don't mean when they are upset.

"There are very few people that see the boy for how he is and I am one of them who sees the little boy, I promise you." Sarutobi stopped to give the young man a chance to process the mass information he was given for a couple of minutes while he himself tried to calm down the raging feelings from reliving the terrible day.

Harry's expression was almost that of a gaping fish as he heard and took in the words.

The young wizard was mildly stunned at best and his mind tried to take in what had been said. _'Poor Naruto, _Harry thought sadly, _to be subjected to such a thing because of something that he had no control over.' _He had wondered what the strange tattoo was on Naruto's stomach, but had forgotten it after a while because it didn't seem important at the time.

The situation with Naruto's sealed beast and Harry's scar seemed fairly similar in an ironic way, the wizard decided. Naruto didn't seem to know about the demon, so at least it couldn't talk to the boy, not yet anyway. As he mulled over the information, he conjured absently a pallet to sit on without disturbing the child on his back, forgetting his audience for a moment.

Not noticing the elder man's shocked face and gaping jaw, he sat down on the soft covered pallet and put his face in his right hand, in a 'thinking position', as Ron had liked to call it. He sat still as stone as he stopped for a moment, as if to gather his thoughts and reassemble them into something he could work with.

Suddenly he spoke as if out of nowhere with a solemn tone and downcast eyes.

"A **flawed** man."

Sarutobi had no idea what the man spoke about and, as if the young man had read his thoughts, he continued in the same voice.

"You are a flawed man, **Sarutobi Hiruzen**_. _That's all I can describe you as at the moment. You care for the child with your whole heart, yet you do not act on it in fear of making it worse or making enemies. You try to make the child's life better, yet you do not follow it all the way and stop half way. You mourn for the child's miserable life and pray that it will get better, yet you do not interfere on your own to make it happen. I do not understand what you are waiting for. For the child to grow up? For something to happen that will do the job for you? I can see in your heart and soul that you love the child, but why are you not doing anything?", Harry finished, glaring angrily at the very quiet older man.

Sarutobi's mind had frozen as the man hit the nail after only being in the same room with him for only an hour. He had seen through him faster than anyone ever had and the Hokage couldn't help but respect the man for it. '_A flawed man, huh, I suppose that does describe me very well',_ Sarutobi mulled lightly in his mind.

He was not supposed to be the Hokage at this age either. He had once given up the title, but the accident forced him take it back and he had no say over it at all. Perhaps it was time to look after a successor again? Tsunade or Jiraya are both good candidates for the post and could rule the council better than anyone else could if he taught them the ropes before taking over. Yes, perhaps it was time.

But for now, he had to do his best for Naruto. Leaning back into the chair and taking up his beloved pipe he regarded the young man before him.

"There is nothing I can say in my defense against those words. You seem to care for Naruto, tell me, is he happy in your care?"

"Yes." There was no hesitation in Harry's tone or word. "If you want to start making amends to Naruto, you can give him to me and let me care for him. My best friend once gave me the best advice I have gotten in my life. He said, 'each day is a gift, not a given right. Leave no stone upturned, leave your fears behind and try to take the path less traveled by. That first step you take is the longest stride.'

"I think he meant that the easiest decision is not always the best and sometimes you have to suffer a bit before getting the thing you want or wish for. After the time I have spent with Naruto, I have come to love him deeply. He, nor I, wish to be separated.", Harry finished with a serious expression. This was it, it would decide if he would get to keep the boy legally or if he would have to 'kidnap' him.

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes in suspicion for a moment and tried to see if the man played some game with him or if he genuinely cared for the boy.

"I can't do that without knowing that is really what the child wants. Can you let me see him?" The Hokage wasn't about to give the child away to a man he had no idea who he was, even though he seemed to genuinely like the boy.

Seeing the man smirk with a teasing glint in his eyes, he braced himself for a second before the Hokage forced himself to relax. It was for naught, as the backpack the man had on his back suddenly transformed before his eyes into a little boy with bright yellow hair sticking up everywhere. He absently noticed that the child seemed to be in a deep sleep and his mind raced wildly. How had he hid the child from him and how he had not noticed in the least? If he had used a genjutsu, he would have known the moment he had entered his office! What kind of powers did the young man before him control? He was interrupted by low chuckling that screamed amusement.

"He has been here the whole time, just asleep." Harry had a great time after seeing the look on the Hokage's face. He grinned in delight, knowing he had fooled the rumored strongest and smartest shinobi in this century; that was something he could brag about some other time.

Harry had no intention of explaining his magic to the elder man. The man already knew that he was different from the normal shinobi, bloodline or not. There was nothing he could do about that as it was not a smart idea to obliterate the man, after all. Harry had decided earlier to only show him that he was strong enough to protect the boy by himself, nothing more.

As the shock wore off, Sarutobi was overwhelmed by his emotions for the boy that he had not seen for so long. Standing up slowly from his chair and starting to move around his desk he saw the man tense up slightly before relaxing again.

He observed intently, as the man turned his head around and poked the boy gently awake with a fond and loving smile on his face. Still relived and happy to have found the boy he had thought was dead, he couldn't help the smile that lit up his face at the scene. The manner the younger man handled the child with made his heart swell with gladness and he watched as the boy slowly awoke. The moment the child caught the green eyed man's eyes, he beamed a positively radiant smile that no man could mistake for anything other than awe and love, directed all to the younger man that carried him on his back.

That was all Sarutobi needed to make his decision, but waited to say it to let the boy notice him first. It didn't take long for the child to see him and graced him with another smile, though not as big and happy as the last one. He smiled back at him and grinned slightly when the child jumped of the younger man's back to sprint forward towards him, while shouting his nickname the child had given him.

"Ol' man hokage!", the boy blurted out in excitement and took off towards the elderly man.

Spreading out his arms just in time to catch the child that lunged at him, he managed not to topple over. Hugging the boy tightly, the elderly man breathed out a contented sigh. To have been forced to think the boy as dead had torn more at him then he had expected. Loosening his hold on the boy, to see his face, he smiled fondly and ruffled his hair lightly.

"Hello Naruto. I have missed you greatly my boy. How are you feeling?", Sarutobi asked gently.

"I'm grewt old man! Harry-san has bewn takin' care of me! He is real'y, real'y nice! Pleas'e can I stay wit' him!", Naruto begged with shining eyes and clutched the shirt in front of him.

The elderly man observed the child for a second to see if he was honest. He saw in the end that it was no lie; the child was speaking from his heart.

"Is that what you really want Naruto?", the old man asked more for confirmation than anything else. He already knew what the child wanted.

The child nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining with raw hope that the elder man had no intention to break. Sarutobi turned his gaze to the man that had stayed silent under the reunion between them. The Hokage sent everything through his eyes that he couldn't say with the child present. He sent both his approval for the young man to get Naruto and a threat to take care of him or else.

Harry nodded in understanding, feeling a heavy weight lift off his chest, and a chuckle escaping as him as he sighed in relief. He understood everything the elder man wanted to say. He had no intention ever to hurt the boy. Harry wanted to dedicate his whole life to make the child happy.

He caught Naruto, as he lunged to hug him as well, and slid his arms around the child protectively. Perhaps fate was rewarding him in some way, at least that was what Harry wanted to believe. He smiled down at the child that had wormed himself into his heart effortlessly, like water sliding down the throat.

A discreet cough brought him back to the present and he looked at the other man with question in his eyes.

"Can you guarantee that you can protect Naruto from the danger that resides in this land? Because of Naruto's… situation, there are people after him. Can you protect him against them?"

'What do you think I am, a bloody damsel in distress?' was on the tip of Harry's tongue, but he held it in as he studied the elder man. Slowly he straightened his back and gazed seriously at him. Harry slowly released some of his repressed energy to surround him, carefully to not let Naruto notice anything but letting the elder man feel what he willed him too.

After a couple of seconds, he got a small nod from the other man and Harry supposed he passed whatever test he had been given. Harry reined in his energy to be similar to an average civilian, but still a bit stronger than them. He relaxed as he steadied his energy to stay there, feeling very exposed when revealing his enormous powers to anyone.

Naruto didn't notice the strange silence or the stare the two men gave each other, content to be in Harry's arms, feeling both safe and happy.

Sarutobi seemed to sense the other man's feelings, for he cast him a concerned look as he thoughtfully changed the topic and addressed the child.

"Naruto, do you still want to be a ninja some day?", the Hokage asked, already knowing the answer in advance.

"Yes! I wan' to be stro'g enougf to protect everywone I like!", Naruto immediately burst out, excitement and determination practically written on his face.

Harry's head whipped around to look at the boy, wide-eyed. Remembering with a pang that he had said something similar to those words once for several years ago in a shouting match, but for the life of him he could not remember who he had shouted and argued with.

"I see.", the Hokage smiled warmly at the child before turning to the young man. "Seeing as that is Naruto's wish I will leave you, Potter-san, a few scrolls and documents with information to help Naruto. They contain a few jutsu for beginners that he would otherwise learn at the Ninja Academy and one extra I think he will find quite useful. I trust that you will only give Naruto these one at the time and only when he is ready for them?"

As Harry nodded and smiled somewhat confident he continued in a demanding tone.

"He will need to have a lot of training in hand to hand combat or taijutsu with someone that can teach him well, no slacking." The last, Sarutobi addressed to the child and watched as the boy nodded seriously, very unusual from the bright and energetic child. "Can you promise me, Naruto, that you will do your best no matter how hard it gets?"

Naruto crossed his arms childishly and pouted deeply at being told to do something he already decided to do no matter what. Nonetheless he answered the old man.

"I will, I prowise!" He sounded so confident that none of the older men could doubt him for a second.

"Good. Potter-san, the adoption papers will take a few days to complete, how will I contact you when I need you to come here to complete it?"

Harry thought for minute before handing over a coin that D.A club had once used to communicate. "This will alert me that you seek me. The coin is keyed to me and when you activate the password it will inform me and I will come to you in an hour's time. Expect an eagle to arrive."

If the Hokage was confused by the coin, he didn't show it. "I see, a most interesting thing. What is the password, may I ask?"

"The password is, 'Time heal broken souls'. If there is something I would want to ask you I will send a message with a bird to you, you can send your answer back with the same animal.", Harry said and thought that Hedwig would be so happy to be able to deliver a letter as it had been awhile since she had last done it.

"Excellent. The scrolls and documents will be given when the adoption is finished, I hope you don't mind.", Sarutobi said with a small smile.

"No, of course not. If that was all for the moment, Naruto and I will return home for the day. I do thank you deeply for your help and cooperation. I you wish, in the future, to contact us after the adoption is finished, use the coin and I will know. I don't want Naruto to lose contact with the only person that cared for him in this place.", Harry said and glanced down at Naruto.

"Naruto, do you wish to say anything to the Hokage before we leave?" Naruto nodded and stepped forward to hug the elderly man again and whispered a 'thank you' into the man's ear as the older man leaned down to his height. The man returned the hug and felt his heart swell with genuine love that the low spoken words projected.

Harry then gathered Naruto in his arms and nodded slightly to the man, before twisting his body and, with a small 'pop', they disappeared.

Death is a strange thing, is it not? The way it haunts a person day in and day out, just waiting for the time to strike. It is kind of like the grim reaper, with his silver bladed scythe, that collected the souls from the inanimate bodies. But all death didn't lead to endless misery and despair. If Naruto's father and mother didn't die, Harry wouldn't have been able to meet him and think of him as a son. If Harry's parents and friends didn't die, he wouldn't even be here in this land at all.

Strange how something seems so logical, but at the same time not. The way Naruto filled Harry's life was something he had never felt before, not even with Hermione and the others. As much he thought that he should feel guilty for that, he found that he could not. He did not want to dwell on the past, he wanted to live in the present and look forward to the future, with Naruto by his side.

After coming back to the tent from the Hokage's office, he let Naruto play and help himself to anything he wanted as he himself sat down in one of the armchairs to think. He really had done it. He successfully convinced the older man to let him adopt Naruto as his own. Harry felt the tension in his shoulder release and his whole body relax by the warmth by the open fire.

Only then, did he realize how much he had really stressed because of the meeting. Harry could feel a dull headache begun to build, but was too tired to move and get a potion for it. Instead, he could feel himself grow dizzy and decided a nap would be great for him right now.

Harry woke up two hours later by something poking him in the side. Turning sleep filled eyes onto the 'guilty' one, he was met with two sky blue eyes.

"I'm hungry.", came the shy statement. Harry mustered up a fond smile and heaved his butt up from the armchair. Harry felt very relieved that the child now dared to ask for food when he was hungry instead of waiting for Harry to decide when it was time to eat. Lifting the surprised child into his arms, he walked towards the kitchen while asking what the boy wanted to eat.

"Panc'ackes!" Naruto shouted immediately in answer, and then continued in calmer tone. "Can I hav'e des'ert afterw'rds too?"

"We will see.", Harry said, shaking his head and grinning at Naruto who was trying his hardest to look innocent and cute. "If you behave, then maybe." Harry couldn't help but tease the boy.

"I will!" the child eagerly promised with excited eyes.

Naruto patiently waited for the pancakes to be done and offered to help set the table to show the elder man that he could indeed behave and deserved a dessert afterwards. He missed the other man's amused look as he eagerly placed two plates on the table. Harry-san's pancakes were the best Naruto knew and he loved the delicious dessert he always got when he had been particularly good or done well on the writing and reading lessons. Finished with setting the table, Naruto sat down on the chair and watched as the last pancakes were finished.

Harry brought the food and sat down on the opposite chair, smiling at his soon-to-be-son at the same time. He let the child pile up food on his plate first before taking a pancake himself. '_In a week this little ball of energy could become my son. I can barely believe it, even now.',_ Harry thought to himself as he poured some cream and syrup on his plate.

The moment he had Apparated into the office and met the Hokage, he had fallen into an auto mode of sorts. It wasn't until he had awakened the child, that he had stopped feeling that he had been standing and observing from the sidelines instead of actually being there and arguing himself.

Now when he could calm down and think clearly, Harry could barely contain his joy and happiness. He had the urge to take the child into his arms and dance around the room like a lunatic and inside he was a mess of feelings, and suddenly Harry came to realise that he had something to live for once again, though this time it had nothing to do with a war or death. He a bit weary and tired from the day, so he decided to celebrate more after a good night's sleep and plenty of food.

He settled for smiling like a fool and cooked Naruto's choice of food. It didn't take more than half hour to eat up and clean the dishes for the two males, but for Harry this day felt like it had been going on forever and he felt somewhat exhausted. Though as expected, the yellow ball of energy didn't seem tired at all and seemed to shine with life. He certainly didn't seem to be willing to go to bed for a couple of hours.

Thinking a couple of seconds for a solution that could help him, he quickly came up with a plan. Calling for Fawkes in his mind, Harry explained his need and got an agreement instantly. Harry then turned towards the child, getting his attention with a gentle nudge on the arm.

He informed Naruto that he wished to go to bed early because he felt tired and that Fawkes would keep him company so that he wouldn't be alone. Also, that he needed to go to bed when the bird ordered him too, and to brush his teeth before bed. Harry tried to say this sternly like a parent would say to his or her child. When he saw the boy nod, Harry finally smiled and ruffled his hair, before heading for the bedroom. He absently heard the arrival of the Phoenix and the child shout in welcome to the bird before he shut the door gently behind him.

Harry quickly dressed for bed and slipped into the sheets. The sleep came ridiculously easy for someone with so many thoughts on his mind, but Harry didn't complain in the least. He was very glad that he didn't need to take a potion to be able to sleep a full night. He was soon out like a light and didn't even stir at all when several hours later at ten-o-clock Naruto crept into the bed and snuggled closer to him.

Four whole days went before Harry was contacted by the Hokage, which was longer than Harry would have thought it would take. Wondering slightly if the elderly man had run into trouble with the adoptions papers with the supposed 'council', Harry informed Naruto that he had to leave for a couple of hours. He had to use sheer will to not give in when the child begged to be taken with him to the Hokage.

Harry didn't want Naruto around for the final meeting with the Hokage because it could be a trap. The last time Harry had unexpectedly arrived but this time he would be waited for and the whole meeting could turn out to be fake and a trap to capture him for all he knew.

Harry did not want to expose any child to such a mess, should it happen. Instead, he had both Fawkes and Hedwig keeping the child company, so that he would not be alone or bored. Both birds loved the child and oddly enough could keep the boy occupied and interested for hours sometimes with different magic tricks or just cuddling, which both birds loved to do anytime.

Finally, Harry got a reluctant nod from the child to stay at home and he begun to quickly pack his bag lightly, some clothes and food for a day, just in case something would happen.

Kissing Naruto's head one time in goodbye, Harry stepped outside the tent before Apparating to a blind spot beside the large tower where the Hokage waited for him. Taking a deep breath, Harry schooled his face into a passive one that didn't reveal his emotion, but didn't make his face seem emotionless and cold.

Preparing himself with a curse on his lips in case of an attack for when he entered the office, he once again Apparated inside the tower into the room where he last had seen the elderly Hokage.

To the Wizard's surprise, the room was empty except for the old Hokage who sat in his chair, smoking his beloved pipe at the same time and a quick scan of the room with his magic confirmed that they were indeed alone. Though, at the moment it was obvious that the elder man tried to compose himself from Harry's rather abrupt arrival. Harry decided to give the man a chance to calm down before coming down to the business. No good would come by rushing or pushing it to go faster.

Harry observed the powerful man before him silently and noticed that the man looked quite worn out, though he had made an almost successful attempt to hide it.

After a while, Harry grew bored with the silence and struggled to say something. At the same time, it seemed as the Hokage had finally manage to composes himself enough to speak, for what felt for Harry several minutes was in fact just a couple of seconds. He couldn't help but blurt out the closest thing on his mind.

"Well someone's all sunshine and rainbows this morning. Had a rough night?", Harry asked, not quite enough will power to stop himself from questioning.

The older man smiled faintly and shook his head briefly. "Hello Potter-san. I assure you that I'm fine and well. I apologize for the long wait before I contacted you; I predictably encountered problems for the adoption from both the council and heads of the shinobi clans. As you knew, none of them care for Naruto, but are still reluctant to send the boy away from the village in fear that he joins another Shinobi village, even though Naruto is only a child. It was not easy for me to convince them to let the child go, but after many meetings and discussions we finally came up with a decision."

Sarutobi stopped to puff on his pipe a few times as he leaned back into the chair. Harry took the opportunity to speak his mind.

"I assume that I will be able to adopt Naruto?" The Hokage nodded slightly in answer.

"That is correct, but they demand to see and speak to you before you get to sign the papers. They most likely want to know what sort of person you are and if they can manipulate you, I'm afraid. There is nothing I can do in that aspect, but I promise you that this is all you have to do.", Sarutobi finished with gentle look.

"I see. I almost expected to be ordered to fight someone or prove myself that I am who I say I am, but I shouldn't really be surprised by it if what you have said about the council from last time is true. When am I supposed to meet them?" Harry asked curtly, his gaze hardening slightly as he straightened his back.

"They want to see you as soon as possible and they are waiting for you at this very moment. With your permission, I will send a message to them to expect us in few minutes.", Sarutobi stated solemnly as he watched the other man closely, seeking for any hesitation or regret to adopt the boy. After finding none he sighed in satisfaction and relaxed slightly in his chair.

"Hmm, well, we should not keep them waiting, shall we?" Harry smirked slightly at the thought to be able to give the men and woman on the council a piece of his mind. He was not really worried of getting killed or getting a rejection to adopt Naruto. If it came to the worst situation, he would simply Apparate out of there and take Naruto back to his home world, where none of them would ever find them.

Harry saw the Hokage give him a suspicious glance, then a small mischievous smirk appeared on the elder man's lips as though he read the younger man's mind. Harry saw the man write something on a piece of paper that, as soon he rolled it to a scroll, poofed away immediately.

Silence reigned between them for a few more minutes and Harry became aware that Sarutobi clearly had more he needed to talk about. Harry gave the man a chance to say what he wanted without being interrupted.

"I feel that I must warn you about a couple of things that may become a problem in the future.", the old Hokage started seriously and puffed on his pipe, making smoke rise around him.

"I have heard rumors about a group of people that are planning something with people that are like Naruto. What kind of goal they have or what their purpose are about is still unclear, but I fear that in the near future they will play an active role in the ninja world. **Akatsuki** is what they call themselves I believe, though I can be wrong as we do not have much information about them as of yet. I must warn you of them, should they appear, the members are very powerful and strong from what little we have seen of them. Very few ninja from this village, that have crossed their way, have come back alive or uninjured."

Harry simply nodded, more in understanding of what the statement implied than as an acknowledgement of the truth of the statement. The old man wanted him to train Naruto so that he could protect himself when the time came and Harry had every intention of doing so.

Harry sighed and scrubbed at his face with his free hand. He could feel the beginning of a headache starting to throb in his temples at the thought of what needed to be done and finished before Harry would declare the child ready to face the world on his own. Harry already felt possessive and protective of the boy and the young wizard had no doubt that it would become deeper as the time went. Letting the child into the Ninja world would be the hardest decision he would ever make, at least that was what it felt like that at the moment.

Harry pushed those thoughts into the back of his mind; he needed to be able to concentrate on the meeting with the council right now.

"I will be careful and look out for them to the best of my ability. Naruto will not come to any harm in my care, that I can promise you.", Harry responded at last.

"I will hold you to that. Where I failed, I hope you will succeed.", Sarutobi stated as he rose off the chair to make his way toward the younger man. "I believe it is time to face the council, I hope you are ready."

"I'm as ready as I am ever going to be. Let's face the wolves head-on, shall we?", Harry cheerfully replied and grinned as he followed the older man through the office door.

* * *

**Ohh, another cliffhanger, though not as exciting as the last one I suppose. The chapter is a bit shorter than the last one but I wanted to get this out before I died of old age. **

**Is there someone that has any suggestion on what Harry will do at the meeting with the council? I can either turn the whole meeting into a shouting match or Harry can scare the dipshits to their early grave. (I must admit, I really like the last one!) **

**Any suggestion I get will be taken into consideration! **

**I thank again everyone that had reviewed on this story to far! You guys and girls are absolute brilliant!**

**Well that is it for me in this chapter; I hope and pray that you wonderful readers out there will continue to read this story of mine!**

**Next chapter:** _Thunder storms_

**Arrivederci! **

_**~~Tigersissi~~**_


	7. Thunder storms

**Hellu all readers out there!**

**I'm sorry for the delay but I had a writer block that took **_**ages**_** to come over, at least it felt like that. I hope you did not get to impatient with me and I hope you all forgive me!**

**Anyway I got many good responses for the last chapter and I'm glad that everyone liked it. I can't believe I have gotten over 200 reviews! Absolutely crazy!**

**I also got many reviews that stated wishes for certain things to happen in the coming meeting, I will try to please as many as possible but if someone get disappointed with my choice then I apologize. **

**Many thanks to my wonderful Beta**** 'XxTaintedxDaggerxX'****!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

It's better to deal with a problem at an early stage, to prevent it from getting worse.

**Chapter 6**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously: **_"I'm as ready as I am ever is going to be. Let's face the wolves head-on shall we?", Harry cheerfully replied and grinned as he followed the older man to the office door._

* * *

The walk to the council chamber felt like forever to Harry. He had a ton of questions that he really wanted an answer too, but he knew he couldn't ask them without perhaps insulting someone powerful that could prevent him from adopting Naruto. _´What kind of people were the council members? Why would they want to meet him in person? Didn't they trust their Hokage to be a good judge of people? It's not like there's a war brewing soon or about any other ninja business. Why would they butt their noses in an adoption? Is Naruto that important or is it something else? '_

Harry abruptly stopped his line of thoughts, he would know soon enough either way. Instead, his mind begun to mull over the week that he had been spent waiting.

*******Flashback*******

_Two days before he had gotten an answer from Sarutobi, Harry had decided that he should check to see that nothing had happened to the village that could have prevented the Hokage from answering him. The wizard had quickly arranged both birds to watch over the child before setting out._

_Harry had arrived in the same spot as last time; the alley was dark and hid him from view very well. He could, fairly quickly, see that nothing was wrong and the usual peace was still in place. He was just about to walk out of the alley to the streets when a shadow appeared above him from the roof. A familiar voice stopped his step and made him turn around._

"_Harry-san!"_

_Harry had to squint his eyes as the sun got directly in his way, but he could dimly see a form of a body looking down on him. His head wracked for a minute of who the person could be. Only the Hokage and the council should know of his name, he had not met anyone else…wait. Hadn't he met someone here last time? His memories from before slammed into him and Harry's face broke out in a wide smile._

"_Itachi-kun? Is that you?" The sun was still in his eyes making it difficult to see, but he could now recognize the boy. _

"_Yes." Itachi jumped down from the roof and landed next to the elder man. He managed a quick bow before straightening his back up. "I have been waiting for you, Harry-san."_

"_Really, why may I ask?", Harry questioned with a smile as he looked the child over. The young teen seemed to be much better than the last time he had seen him, like some heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. _

"_The Jutsu you used on me, I don't know how, but every time I feel like shutting off my emotions something warns me and, in doing so, stops me. My brother somehow felt that something is different about me and all of a sudden he wants to be with me and clings to me like no tomorrow." Itachi paused to take a long breath. It had been a long time since he'd spoken so much, but he couldn't hold it in, just like the last time he met the strange older man. Something just drove him into speaking of things that he needed so much to lift off his chest. _

"_I feel more controlled, like I can freely feel without exploding when it becomes too much. I feel so free! It's …it's so difficult to explain.", the child continued while Harry remained in silence. _

_He observed the boy in front of him and he could see the change in the child even though he only met the boy once. It was like an inner fire had been lit inside and it practically glowed around the boy. The previously dead voice had suddenly gotten lighter and warmer and, if you searched hard, the excitement could be heard. The wizard smiled to himself, he was glad he could help the child. _

_Harry didn't know why, but something told him that he would see the raven haired child again in the future. _

_The older teen suddenly laughed and ruffled the hair of the younger one, getting an annoyed glance shot at him. His touch had interrupted the younger teen's speech, but the boy didn't seem to mind. If anything he seemed to like the casual touch and leaned into the hand._

"_I'm glad that I could help you, Itachi. The jutsu will remain as long as you want it to. When it is no longer needed it will disappear on its own, handy no?" Harry grinned slightly and got a small smile in response, in fact it was just a small twitch of lips, but for Harry it was success. _

"_I don't know how to thank you Harry-san. Is there anything I could do to repay you?", Itachi asked the older man and watched him intensely. _

_Harry thought deeply for a couple of seconds before smiling lightly. "Sure, there is one thing I have wanted to do for a while. I want you to have dinner with me. I have always wanted to try the food in the Fire country. I leave it up to you to decide the restaurant and where we will eat."_

_Itachi looked surprised for a moment then he nodded sharply once. "Would it please you to do it at once? I just have to return home and get some money –" He was interrupted by Harry who shook his head and spoke._

"_That won't be necessary. The only thing I require is your company, Itachi-kun."_

_The boy watched him in stunned silence for a moment, like he could not quite understand why this man didn't want anything of value or anything similar. Because of his harsh upbringing and training in the Uchiha household, Itachi thought that he should be least suspicious or wary of trusting the stranger, but he really didn't want to. He wanted to trust the older man. He felt safe and welcome in the other's presence, something he never felt before with someone else. _

_Deciding just to ¨swing it¨ as his older cousin had once said to him, he allowed a tiny smile on his face as he nodded in answer. As he begun to lead the way to the restaurant, he listened captivated by the other man's talk about his travels around the country and what kind of different people he had met on the road between the villages. _

_The man, Harry-san, didn't seem to mind that he spoke very little and stayed mostly quiet on the way. In fact, he seemed to enjoy speaking without being interrupted by questions. Itachi was secretly awed and impressed by the man's tales, he wished he too could travel sometime without having to do a mission that took up most of the time anyway. _

_The boy was so lost in the older man's voice that he almost missed the restaurant that he had chosen to eat at. He almost blushed when he was forced to interrupt the other's tale about meeting a man with only one leg, yet he still could run faster than himself, and he stuttered out that they had to turn around and looked down the street in embarrassment._

_He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to meet Harry-san's beautiful green eyes. He promptly blushed at his thoughts, ´Beautiful green eyes? I'm going soft!' _

_After finally arriving at the restaurant, they immediately got a table, but only because Itachi was the current son of the Uchiha clan head. Three waiters fawned over them for couple of minutes before the wizard calmly told them to back off and wait for their order. Properly chastened, they quickly backed down and hid in the kitchen, probably to sulk or whatever. Harry rolled his eyes before focusing on the child before him. _

_The lunch lasted for two hours before Harry decided that he needed to get back to Naruto. Who knew what kind of mischief he could get himself into in such a short time. The young ninja and wizard parted with a handshake and promise to meet sometime again in the future, silently promising to stay alive until the next meeting. _

_He returned home to find the kitchen looking like it had been the battlegrounds of a war, turning his gaze to the ceiling he found, to his surprise and amazement, a sandwich squished and stuck. Shaking his head, Harry tried not to think about how it came to be there in the first place._

*******End of flashback*******

Harry snickered to himself when he remembered Naruto's stuttered apologizes and burning red face. He had barely contained his laughter and had tried to remain stern. He really tried to discipline the child, but Harry could honestly say that it failed rather dramatically most of the time. It had ended with them sitting together on the armchair, eating ice cream in a cup, the disaster in the kitchen long forgotten.

The wizard once again turned his attention to the old man that walked a step before him. He really was an odd figure in Harry's book, which said a lot if you think about everything he had seen since he had entered the wizarding world at age eleven.

The Hokage's robes almost reminded him of a wizard's robes, but still not quite the same. The design looked very similar, but it seemed like the shinobi robe was made to be flexible and easily removable. That was the opposite of the wizarding robes, they were hard to take off if you were in a hurry and were pretty hard to move in.

Yes, the wizarding world and the shinobi world really were different in every aspect. While wizards preferred luxury and easy access to everything, shinobi wanted to work hard to earn their keepings and were normally more active in their lives, even if they were not trained shinobi. The wizards he knew really were lazy; they would not even cook their own food or wash their clothes. He really thanked the gods the he didn't turn out like they did.

Sarutobi observed the younger man out of the corner of his eye. The man seemed calm and collected, but god knows what he hid behind that tranquil façade. The old Hokage sighed to himself as he banished the thought. As long as the man loved and took care of Naruto, he would not dig into the man's past. He only hoped that the man would survive with his mind intact after the meeting with the council, god knew he wanted to resign after every meeting with those old slimy bags.

The Hokage noticed that the man, Potter, stopped and nodded slowly, as if confirming his point on something as a small almost strangely odd smile lit up his face. The elderly man only shook his head and continued as if he had not seen anything.

Not soon after, they arrived in the Council's chamber, where the meeting would be held. The Hokage stopped the younger man just outside the door with a wave of his hand. His face took a very serious look as he turned to stranger.

"Here it is, Harry-san. I must advise you to be very careful of what you say the moment you step into that room. These men and women are not to be underestimated, is that clear?"

After getting a sharp nod in answer, he continued in the same grave and cautious tone. "These people do not see Naruto in a good grace, at least not the majority of them, there are always exceptions. They want to let Naruto suffer, keep that in mind. The adoptions papers are already signed and done, but I trust that you don't want enemies unnecessarily. Because you will be the person to raise Naruto, they all will want to have some hold on you just in case-."

Harry interrupted before he could warn him further. "I realize that these people are powerful in their own right, but I am no pushover either. I firmly believe that I can take care of myself and any situation they will throw at me. I may not be a shinobi, but I am not weak and that, I hope, you have noticed.", Harry stated with small smug smile on his lips.

"Yes, I have wondered about that for some time now. I can clearly feel that you do not use any chakra at all when performing your stunts. Why is that, if I may ask?", the Hokage asked in a low voice. Sarutobi could barely see the flicker of panic enter the younger man's eyes for a moment before it was deeply hidden.

Harry desperately searched for something to stall for some time to find some simple answer that didn't require him going into explaining what magic was and how he had it in the first place. Though, it seemed, the elder man seemed to think his answer took too long and continued speaking.

"What is it that you hide so deeply, that even I cannot find?" The question was stated in a curiosity, but Harry could hear the steel tone behind it.

Harry answered the only way he could think of. Therefore, Harry decided to answer on neutral ground. "Many things, as is everyone. I could ask you the same question, my friend, and discover some very interesting facts, if I presume correctly."

The Hokage graced him with an amused look before turning once again to the door. "Well, I believe that we have chatted enough for this time. The council has waited for a while now and I think they would not appreciate to wait any longer."

Harry nodded and put up a blank mask on his face as the door opened and revealed a big round room full of people sitting around an equally round table in the middle of the room. Overlooking the room, two big windows let in sunshine from the outside and were positioned across from each other.

Harry inwardly chuckled at the looks he got the moment he entered the room. Some were suspicious, others were almost hopeful, but of what Harry did not know. There was one that didn't even look at him. In fact, the man seemed to stare at the ceiling with half closed eyes and an extremely bored look on his face. Harry had almost thought that the man was asleep. Another man had dark sunglasses on that hid his eyes and jacket that had a very high collar that hid the rest of his face. Harry had no idea if the man was looking at him.

After another glance through the room, Harry had to beat down the urge to laugh hysterically. There really was a large and wide collection of different and very _odd_ people gathered in the room.

Suddenly, Harry caught the eye of a man with bandages hiding half his face. Immediately, the electricity between them sparked heatedly and a silent battle played out between them. As the Hokage and the wizard moved through the room to sit at the two only empty chairs, the two's heated stare never stopped for a second.

Harry had no plan of losing the battle (even of it felt slightly childish to glare at someone like a child), because if he lost, it would be like a declaration that he was weak in will and mind.

The Hokage had noticed the staring match immediately, as the rest in the room had and he had let it continue, but it had gone on too far after a few minutes and the meeting needed to begin. He coughed to gain the attention and was satisfied to be able break the match even if the wizard looked quite smug at winning as the older man looked away first (even he thought it was a childish act).

The meeting started with Sarutobi explaining to everyone why he had called the meeting, even though everybody already knew the exact reason they were gathered. As soon as he finished, the entire room's attention focused on the green eyed man as if drawn to it like a magnet. Silence heavily filled the room and, in a silent battle, the people inside decided who was to start questioning the youngest man in the room first.

The task fell, unsurprisingly, on Danzo, the bandaged man, and he wasted no time accusing him.

"Why should we give the demon to you? For all we know, you can turn it against us and attack us anytime you want." The sentences were drawled out, and Harry was caught up between annoyance and an odd feeling of hilarity at the situation where he could gain himself a powerful enemy or remain neutral. Though, when the man's words sunk in Harry begun shake with burning fury, the decision was easy.

"Oh? From my viewpoint it sounds to me like you have considered that yourself for a long time. It couldn't be that you were planning on betraying Konoha were you?", the young wizard asked pleasantly with a small smile on his lips, though it didn't reach his eyes which stayed coldly upon the man.

Danzo stiffened almost unnoticeably before snarling in anger. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing, you imbecile! Do you know who you are speaking with?" The scarred man sneered as he watched the man who remained calm with a serene expression on his face.

Harry glanced at Sarutobi with a slightly guilty face, as if to say sorry for what was coming in the next few minutes. The Hokage sighed deeply, but remained as silent as stone, though there was a tiny telling smirk on his face.

"Mmh? Oh, you are someone important? I thought that the Hokage was the man with the highest status. You are _under_ him right? Or was I wrong?", Harry chirped vigorously with a dark smirk growing steadily on his face.

"Of course the Hokage is of the highest status, but the council has a massive influence as well. You do well to remember that, _boy_." A female on Harry's left side spoke up with a clipped tone as if scolding a child. The old woman, Koharu Utatane, looked truly ancient in Harry's mind, though he swallowed the words because even he would not be so cruel to say it right in her face. But it would not hurt to drop a few hints, would it?

"Right, and with your high age you would know a lot of old people and your words just reek of _wisdom _when you speak, right?", Harry drawled out boringly, as if he had nothing better to do than to talk to her or not. The woman bristled with anger as the younger men and women in the room tried to hide their snickers and laughter behind hands and arms. Before she could speak again, her old teammate decided to interrupt.

Homura Mitokado did not like where this was going and he certainly didn't like the glint in the green eyed man's eyes that spoke of anger and wrath that was just waited to be unleashed.

"Who are you to question our position within and outside the council? You are neither a Konoha Shinobi nor a regular citizen; do you not think that your comments are a bit out of line?", Homura asked in a calm and collected voice, silencing the room immediately.

"Comments are out of line, huh? I think that the only reason they are upset is because they are true. Why would they otherwise react to them at all?", Harry asked back and locked his gaze with the elderly man.

"That was not the question was it? Let us go back to the very reason we are gathered here, I believe we have strayed from our original goal. Now, Potter-san, why would you take the de – child in and adopt him as your own?", the elderly man stuttered slightly when he received a toxic glare from the younger man when he almost said the word demon.

"Well for a start, I see the child, Naruto. Not the demon!" Since he stepped into the room, Harry finally raised his voice, unable to mask his anger and fury. "I see an abused child that is being starved, beaten and shunned. -"

As Harry continued to rant everything he had wanted to since he had met Naruto in the alley that faithful day, his previously suppressed emotions slowly began to build up. Outside the weather was sunny and warm as most days were at this time of the year, but dark clouds begun to appear if you looked closely.

"- just because you old bags don't see the sweet child Naruto is doesn't mean that no one else does." Harry was forced to take a break to breathe and the silence hung low in the room. Absently you could hear the thunder in the background, though no one paid any attention to it. The three oldest people in the room, save the Hokage, looked almost shameful of their actions for a moment before hiding it behind an indifferent mask.

Danzo sneered and sent a cold patronizing glare at him. "The freak demon should either be turned into a weapon for Konoha to use or be put down like the animal it is. Nothing you say or do will ever change that!"

As he spoke, Harry's raising emotion reached its peak and outside lightning stabbed and thunder crashed across a sky that was dark with storm clouds. The room blinked and flashed when the lightning struck across the sky and suddenly everyone become aware of the sudden change of weather. A dark chill crept through the room and everyone's attention was drawn to the stranger in the room.

The Hokage shuddered visibly at the dark and menacing face the young wizard had taken and he could feel the power emitting from the timid and delicate body. Everyone in the room, even the Anbu guards, was frozen stiff, not able to move a muscle in fear of turning the concentrated power on them.

"If you ever lay a hand on Naruto, if you so even scrape his knee, your head will be mine to take." The words were spoken as slowly as possible to stress the importance of every word, Harry didn't realize that his voice had taken on a hissing tone as he barely contained his magic from killing everyone in sight.

"If I find out that you have any hand in personally torturing _my child, _then your life will be forfeit before you know it. Nothing on this earth will save you from my wraith, no matter how many guards or skills you possess. I promise you from the bottom of my heart that I will hunt you, nothing other than my death will stop me."

The faces of the people in the room were deathly pale and a few were shaking visibly in their chairs. The two civil men representing the village people were out cold, white sticky bubbles coating their open mouths.

The only ones that were not affected by Harry's massive power strike, where people that didn't loath Naruto. Sure, they felt it and were pressured into the chair as the others, but the energy didn't attack them personally. Among these people where the Hokage, Nara Shikaku, Yamanaka Inoichi, Akimichi Chōza, Aburame Shibi and Inuzuka Tsume.

Nara Shikaku, famous for being lazy, but powerful, had snapped out of his daydreaming the moment the stranger released his anger. His attention didn't wane in the slightest and he could calculate immediately that this was not a man you played with. Shikaku was momentarily surprised when the energy didn't personally attack him, but he soon figured it out. The more hate the person had for the Kyuubi child, the more the energy would react and cause damage.

Personally, he had only seen the child once and that was right after the Kyuubi incident and when the Hokage declared that the child was the container for the beast. Since then, he had not thought of the boy, too busy building up the village and all the missions that were needed to be carried out.

He knew that his two former teammates had no ill intent against the child as they both had a level-headed vision on the world. They did not criticize anyone without them having done anything wrong.

The shadow specialist also knew that Inuzuka Tsume held neither dislike for the child nor any love. The Inuzuka clan generally liked children as they are for them because they were ´pups´ that needed to be protected and cared for. That was the reason that those from that clan disliked taking mission that involved children and often refused such missions.

Shikaku didn't even want to try understanding the stoic bug user, Aburame Shibi, as that would be too troublesome. The whole Aburame clan seemed to be the same. Stoic, quiet and, often very, creepy. They were nice people, no doubt, but they preferred to keep to themselves.

Harry's mind screamed at him to kill the bastard that threatened his child, but his more rational side begged him not to, at least not yet. If he killed anyone, Naruto would surely be taken from him. He could not let that happen. This needed some planning from his part.

Suddenly it hit him and he could not resist the downright evil smile that formed on his lips. Without anyone noticing anything, Harry sent off a wandless and wordless curse towards Danzo and watched in satisfaction when it hit the target and the elderly man didn't notice a thing. The curse would slowly, but safely eat up the insides of the man over a lengthy amount of time. If treated within 3 months, it would not give any side effects, but any longer than that and nothing could stop it from killing the man. It would last for a year, maybe two depending on how strong a body the person had. But in any case the two last months will be spent in agony before death.

In that time, he and Naruto would be long gone and no one could blame them for anything. It may sound harsh, even for Harry, but he could not let such a dangerous man live after threatening Naruto like that. The wizard would do anything to keep his son alive and well, anything. He would _not_ lose anymore family members if he had anything to say about it.

_Let him rot all the way to hell, the rude old bugger._

The wizard released a long deep sigh as he waited for the others to collect themselves and gain their speech ability back. To calm himself down, he tried to remember of when he would read for Naruto before bedtime. It always calmed him down after many particular violent nightmares. After a moment, one brave (or stupid) shinobi decided that he didn't like being threatened.

"How dare you threaten our life like that? We are the strongest in the village, you can't just kill us-", he lost his confidence in the end when he received a mighty glare from the wizard and cowered in his seat. "Or can you?"

Before Harry could stop himself, he burst out laughing. The man had sounded so mortified by his own realization that Harry just couldn't help himself. The wizard looked at the council man with an expression one reserves for someone who is particularly stupid, before it slid into one of sympathy. Obviously the men and women in the council weren't the sharpest tools in the shed.

"Oh I assure you that I can. No need to doubt that, but if you behave there will be no need for me to do it.", Harry mused wryly "I just want you to remember these words ´_It is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease __later_.´ If you don't understand the meaning then that it is not my problem."

The room was silent for a couple of minutes before it was interrupted. "Tsk, so troublesome. Just take the kid and go, no need to pester us more then necessary. None of us will be able to stop you anyway." The sentences were drawled out in an extremely bored tone.

Harry turned his gaze toward the voice and saw a shaggy looking male with a high knot in his head that kept the hair from falling in the face. The man's eyes were seeing the ceiling and it didn't seem that he was paying any attention at all.

"Mmh? You seem pretty level-headed. Who are you?", Harry asked curiously and his gaze didn't leave the man.

"Maa, no one important really, but if you insist, Nara Shikaku at your service." The man still wasn't looking at his direction, but Harry didn't mind at all. After observing the man for a moment, at last he leaned back in his chair, folded his arms across his chest and grinned at the man.

"I like you, at least you are interesting." Shikaku only waved at him lazily as if it didn't matter much to him.

Harry only chuckled lightly. So not everyone except the Hokage was against him, interesting. That was worth taking notice to and would be good to remember in the future.

"If everyone has said what they have wanted to say, then I believe that we are finished here today. And please, can somebody awake Tanaka-san and Momoune-san?", Sarutobi demanded as he let his gaze stray towards the two knocked out civilians.

When no one spoke up, he declared the meeting finished and over. The council slowly made their way out, still in shock from earlier.

"Harry-san, here is the adoption papers as I promised you." The Hokage handed over a scroll that was light blue and Harry took it with a small bow to show his appreciation.

"Thank you Hokage-sama. I promise you on my honor and soul that I will take care of Naruto." Harry saw in the corner of his eye that Koharu Utatane was coming closer to them. With a mischievous smirk Harry sent a prank hex at the old lady in revenge.

It wasn't until the people still left in the room gasped and started to laugh, that she noticed anything. Looking down, she saw to her horror and humiliation that her nice kimono suddenly was bright pink with a big toad butt in the middle. After seeing her face, Harry couldn't contain his own laughter and had to bend down to get air.

"What it this? How—I-! Ahrgg! What have you done BOY?" She suddenly lunged out and took a firm grip of the Wizard's black t-shirt.

Not really wanting to admit that it was him, but still not wanting to miss the chance to mess with the old woman, he settled with ruffling her feathers a bit.

"Magic.", he explained simply, not quite able to keep the slight 'duh' tone out of his voice.

It seemed that she was near explosion for she lost all her calm and dignity in a go.

"Magic? MAGIC? Do you think I am stupid? There is no such thing as magic!" The woman breathed like rhino and her nostrils flared dangerously. Harry thought she looked hilarious.

"No shit, Sherlock, figure it out yourself then." He tore the hysterical women off him and turned towards the stunned Hokage. "I bid you good day Hokage. If there is anything you want or need do not hesitate to contact me, you know how. Likewise, expect to hear from me in the future." He bowed once more and threw a smug smirk at the woman that was still pink in the face with indignation.

Harry then turned on his heel and Apparated towards the outside of the tent. He silently entered and heard Naruto chattering happily with one of the birds. Smiling lightly, with mischief in his eyes, he took a deep breath and then-

"Your knight in rusty armor is back to protect you once again Naruto!", Harry hollered out as high as he could.

The reaction was immediate. Before he knew it, his arms where full of a blond haired child that squeezed his breath away.

"You´r back!", Naruto cheerfully shouted with a big beaming smile on his adorable face.

"Hai, hai. Yes, I'm back. And do you know what?", Harry asked with smug smile. Naruto shook his head so that his spiky hair flew everywhere. "Starting today, exactly now, we are father and son. What do you say?"

His only answer was a wet look before the child burst out in tears and buried himself in his new dad's embrace.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX-A year later**

Harry and his son were in the Land of lightning for the week and enjoyed the last couple of days of calm before they needed to pack once again to travel. Father and son dallied the day away and enjoyed a hearty dinner of roast chicken and corn. When night came, Naruto could be found snuggled peacefully in his daddy's arms as the wizard read aloud from 'Greg the Green Gryphon and the Muggle Who Lost His Shoes'.

After confirming that it was too dangerous to stay close to Konoha, Harry decided to once again travel the elemental country, though this time not alone. His son, Naruto, was very eager to travel and wanted to go immediately. Harry only chuckled at his son's energy.

So far they had visited Yukigakure in the Land of snow, Land of Waves, Takumi Village in the Land of Rivers, Land of tea and Land of birds. For a full year, had they traveled and now the wizard wanted to show his son his old home. So they traveled from the Land of earth to the Land of Lightning where Harry had first entered the world. Harry felt that it was the safest to activate the spell in the same place he arrived in.

When Harry had decided to go back, he was very grateful to Hermione that she had made everyone learn the spell to bind the magic core. But because Naruto doesn't have a magic core, a bit of Harry's magic entered the child to connect them and a little bit of chakra entered the wizard in return.

Harry knew though, that the amount of magic Naruto got wasn't enough to use with a wand. He could perhaps have a few and rare accidental outbursts of magic when he was overcome with emotions, but he would never be able to control it. The same with the amount of chakra he got, it was about as much as a civilian had.

After two years of traveling alone and one year traveling with Naruto, he actually looked forward to going back to his homeland again. He would not return to the wizarding world though, no he would settle down in the muggle world until they returned once again to the elemental land.

He was very eager to show Naruto the cars and phones, something this world didn't have.

So after arriving once again in the Land of lightening, they searched out the small forest near a large mountain where Harry had landed. Together they set up the tent with ease only shown when very used to sleeping outside.

It took three days for Harry to make the clearing where he had appeared ready and after that they rested for two days before deciding to leave.

"Dad? Where are we going to live in your homeland? We are not going to still live in the tent, right? Right?" Naruto, now five years old, asked his father and wrinkled his nose at the thought of continuing to reside in the tent.

Harry, now twenty-seven years old, chuckled slightly as he cooked dinner at the stove around seven in the evening. "No son, we will live in a house the moment we arrive. I promise you and you will finally get a room of your own that you have been whining about forever." Harry didn't need to turn around to see the big smile on his son's face as the child spoke.

"YES, it is going to be so cool to have my own room! Hey dad, can I decide how it's going to look?", Naruto asked with bright shining eyes.

"Of course, but I forbid you to have orange on the walls, got it?", Harry responded in a tone that left no argument, though that never stopped his son from complaining.

"But dad! Why not? I love orange, it's the best color in the world!", the five-year old whined loudly from his place at the table, his legs swinging back and forth.

"Yes, well that may be so, but you are still forbidden on having it on the walls. Choose something else.", the wizard said as he laid the last finishing touches to the dinner.

Naruto shot his dad a dirty look to his back, but didn't answer as he tried to decide on another color to his room. After a moment he replayed with glint in his eyes. "Well black on the wall is nice-"

"Naruto!", his father barked at him, but the five-year old only laughed at him.

"Kidding dad! I was only joking!", Naruto managed to say through his laughs.

"And it is best for you that you are or you will find yourself without dinner today.", Harry said with a straight face, hiding his amusement for his son as he turned to watch him.

"NO! Come on dad, I was only joking! I'm sorry!", Naruto shouted desperately with his best puppy-dog eyes fully active.

Harry couldn't contain his laughter at the sight of his son begging him. Naruto quickly understood that he had been played with and immediately attacked his dad with a furious growl. Harry expected it and caught him before he connected. He swung him up in the air, around and around, until he was so dizzy that he fell to the floor when he was set down. All thoughts of revenge where temporarily forgotten as he tried to regain his wit again.

As his son sat on the floor looking unspeakably cute, Harry set the table, putting forth the food, onion-crusted meatloaf with roasted potatoes, something they both loved to eat. Harry wanted to make something they both thought as delicious like some kind of farewell party before they left the elemental country.

While they ate Harry told his son once again about the fascinating stuff that could only be found where he came from. Naruto never became tired of hearing it again and again as he thought it sounded awesome and he couldn't wait to test it himself one day.

It wasn't until after dinner was finished and they sat and ate the dessert, cinnamon rolls, that Naruto asked what he needed to do for the spell to work. Harry popped the last piece of his cinnamon roll into his mouth, humming softly when the sweet flavor burst over his tongue, thinking over his answer briefly.

"You really don't need to do a lot son.", Harry told his son with a serious face. "All you need to do it is spill one drop of blood in the candles and then hold tightly to me. I will do the rest. I must warn you now that it can hurt a bit. Last time it hurt me quite a bit, though neither Hedwig nor Fawkes felt a thing, just so that you are prepared for it."

"It's okay dad, I'm not scared for a little pain!", Naruto burst out proudly and took a big bite of his own cinnamon roll.

"You should be afraid of it, not proud that you can bear it.", murmured Harry sadly under his breath, silently, so that Naruto would not hear it.

Deciding they were both finished, Harry tucked away the dishes and swiftly scooped his son up and deposited him in the bathroom to clean up for the night. Naruto complained loudly that it was still too early to go to bed, but Harry was very firm that they needed a good night's sleep before they would leave in the morning.

After creeping down under the sheets, they curled around each other, seeking the warmth the other offered.

"Do you want me to continue to read about 'Greg the Green Gryphon and the Muggle Who Lost His Shoes'?", Harry asked his sunshine haired child. Getting a positive nod, he opened up the blue covered book and began to read in a calm and soothing voice that lulled his child into a restful sleep after only twenty minutes.

That very night, Harry dreamt for the first time since arriving in the elemental country about the final battle and the defeat of Voldemort.

_**~~Dream world start~~**_

_The once calm and serene Hogsmeade was turned into a battle field in a matter of minutes. Death eaters, villagers, Order members and students were all fighting for the right to live and rule. The screams and shouting would forever be engraved in the surviving peoples' minds, never fading into __just__ a memory. The stench was horrible. Blood and vomit were the first you could smell. There were barely any buildings left standing, some were so destroyed that black ash was all that remained. _

_Everything was turned into a weapon that could save your life or end another's. Papers, forks, spoons even a teddy bear was turned into a weapon. _

_None of that was registered in Harry and his family. They all had a mission to do before they could join the battle. Because they all knew that they had no chance in dueling the dark lord heads up and win, they needed a way to stop Voldemort from moving, if only for a short time._

_That was where the glowing light blue stones came in. Hermione had found them in the attic in the Potter manor and read that they were originally made to contain the movement of a dragon so that the keepers could stun it. If the stones were able to hold still a dragon that is the most powerful magical animal on earth, then it can hold Voldemort still for a few minutes, they all concluded. _

_All they needed to do was place the five stones in a circle with the distance of two hundred meters and then place the strongest sticking charm they could cast to prevent anyone from moving them. A short chant was needed to be said to activate the shield and, when the intended target walks into the circle, he would be caught without them needing to say anything more. _

_That was the easy part. Making Voldemort step into the circle would prove to be a major task itself, but the stones merely held the target still, nothing more. They needed something so powerful that it could destroy the Dark lord and the remaining Horcruxes._

_They found the banishing ritual where the soul god himself examinants the offered soul and, if it finds it dark enough, he will take it with him, although the god will examine the one who cast the spell and if that one's is also too dark he will take its soul as well. That is why the ritual was labeled as dark magic and forbidden from performing. _

_The one performing the spell had to be Harry because of the prophecy._

_They had all successfully placed out the stones and cast the necessary charm and chanted the word needed to active them. Now they needed to lure out the Dark Lord and catch him in the circle. With a nod to each other, they all cast themselves into battle and Harry made sure to place himself where many would see him, and hopefully some of the Death eaters would alert their Lord that he was there._

_It took five minutes for Voldemort to appear. He was dressed a blood red robe that shined through the crowd of people clearly and everyone around fled as they saw him. The Dark Lord arrogantly walked the blood stained streets with a manic glint in his eyes. _

_Those creepy crimson eyes found immediately emerald ones and the last battle started. _

_Trying not the engage the Dark Lord in a duel, Harry did his best in steering the powerful man towards their trap. He got a deep cut on his arm and a blast against his chest that definitely cracked some ribs and bones before he finally caught him, two hours later._

_The Dark Lord noticed immediately what was happening and he snarled in fury and tried to use his magic to destroy the stones but to no avail. Voldemort's magic was nothing against the dragons' fire infused with magic and even then the stones did not break. _

_The younger wizard wasted no time in starting the ritual. His family surrounded him and protected him against the Death eater that had noticed that something was wrong with their Master. Harry was so deep inside the ritual that all noises and feelings disappeared as his soul was looked through and judged. _

_He felt a strange feeling of peace and Harry figured out that his soul was going to stay where it belonged. Harry woke up by the scream from the Dark Lord and he watched fascinated as the soul lifted from the body. Several small pieces of the soul seemed to come flying from different directions and suddenly Harry felt something disconnect itself from him. Horrified, he saw a piece of Voldemort's soul come from his own body and rejoin with the others. _

_Unknown to Harry, the scream from the Dark Lord drew all the attention from the remaining Death eaters and they all attacked to save their Master. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna fought like animals, but the enemies were too many and one by one they fell. _

_They all died with the knowledge that they had protected a loved one and felt proud of it. _

_The ritual finished at last and took Voldemort's soul with it and Harry was just in time to see his last family member, Ron, fall to the Killing curse. For a moment everything stood still and quiet in a shocked silence. The Death eaters, Order members, villagers and students witnessed the fall of the darkest wizard in times, but for Harry it was the loss if his beloved family. _

_Suddenly Harry's magic exploded and attacked everyone with a dark mark in their arm. The deaths of the Death eaters were brutal and bloody. The mark seemed to go into the body as a virus, destroying the body from within. First the arms exploded from the venom, and then the legs were crushed beyond recognition. The victims were screaming their throats raw and bloody, begging for mercy. Their hearts beat so fast it hurt them and it seemed like it wanted to jump out of their throats. _

_The stomach then exploded, making all the intestines burst out in a messy and bloody way. Those still alive could barely moan in pain, let alone scream or move. And then as if a final touch their head exploded in a rain of blood. _

_The savior of the wizarding world watched it all with blank and dull empty green eyes. _

_**~~Dream world end~~**_

Harry woke up with a snap and sat up rigidly, breathing like he had run for miles. He clutched a pillow to his chest when the memories of the dream streamed through his mind once again. The sweat made his hair cling around his face uncomfortably and he reached for his wand under another pillow on the bed. Casting a quick refreshing charm on himself, he could feel his night terror let up its hold on him.

He quickly cast a glance to his son to see if he had awoken. Thankfully, he had not, and the child continued to sleep peacefully. He collapsed back against the mattress, glaring weakly at the pillow he'd nearly crushed beyond recognition.

_'I thought the nightmare from that time was over and done. Why did it come back now? Could it mean something?',_ Harry asked himself, resigned to the knowledge that he would not be getting an answer. Not five minutes later, he succumbed to sleep again and did not wake up before the normal wakeup call from Hedwig.

Father and son stood in the clearing surrounded by candles in a star like pattern, just like the last time Harry traveled across worlds. This time, he did not need to check if everything was packed because everything was in the tent, which was securely rolled up and shrunken in his pocket.

His emerald eyes surveyed the surroundings alertly for a moment before motioning to his son and birds to move into the marked circle. Naruto faced him with a nervous smile and Harry let a reassuring smile light up his face that calmed the child down immensely. The child grinned sheepishly at him before turning his face into a more serious one.

The elder of them stepped forth to withdraw a small knife that he used to nick the skin in his hand. He waited for it to gather before letting a drop of blood drip into the shining candles.

When finished he gave the knife to his son and watched as the boy mimicked his own actions. The child then gave back the tool to his father and then spread out his arms and hugged the man as hard as he could, shutting his eyes at the same time.

Harry briefly hugged the child back carefully to not disturb the two birds that sat on his shoulders. Then his soft, but steady voice began to chant the words again and again.

"_**Concede" **_  
_**"Amor patriae nostra lex"  
"Familia ante omnia" **_

Like last time, nothing happened for a while, but Harry could feel the magic move. This time, however, it felt more soothing and welcoming. No pain at all came and, when the pull that felt like a portkey caught him, he sighed in relief.

Finally they were going home at last.

* * *

**There you have it people, the sixth chapter of this fanfiction story. Man, this chapter was hard to write! Grrr I hate writer blocks, total pain in the ass. It felt like have emptied my whole brain to finished this one. **

**HELP! - I need a name for Naruto when he lives in Harry's world. He can't be named Naruto Potter, that just sound soooo wrong. Please can somebody think up a few names that I can pick and choose from? That would be such a help! I literally suck at making up names! - HELP!**

**Thanks so much for all the reviews, they are a godsend! **

**I hope to see you all in the next chapter!**

**Next chapter:** _House elf and cars_

_**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**_


	8. Potter Manor

**Hello everyone!**

**Here you have chapter 7!**

**Once again thanks for all the reviews that you people have showered me with! Truly a blessing I must confess. Let's see if we can reach three-hundred reviews before the next chapter is done! Thanks a lot for the different names, they were a big help!**

**Once again this chapter was a bitch to write and I apologize for the extremely long wait. I suppose many of you have thought that I had abandoned this story, but don't despair, I will never stop writing this one. It didn't turn out as I wanted it to but here it is anyway.**

**Many thanks to my wonderful Beta for helping me!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Actions speak louder than words_

**Chapter 7**

"Normal speech"

_'Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"_**Fawkes**__"_

* * *

**Previously**_**:**__ Finally they were going home at last._

* * *

Two dark figures appeared in the middle of the sitting room with a loud bang. Dust burst up all around them, making them sneeze as it reached their noses. The larger figure waved his hand feebly in front of himself to clear the dust. When it didn't result in anything better, he whipped out a long wooden stick that he waved once and, in the blink of an eye, the air cleared.

"Gee dad, when was the last time this room was cleaned? Please don't tell me that every room is like this! I refuse to clean it by hand!", the shorter of the two complained in a whiny voice that grated on the taller man's ears.

"Hush Naruto, magic is a useful thing to have when cleaning. Plus we have extra help in the form of house elves." Harry grinned at his son before giving him a more serious look. "Any more whining on your part will result in you cleaning up your own room by yourself."

"Dad! I will be nice, promise!" Naruto shot his father an innocent smile which had no effect on the elder man at all.

"That, my son, I will believe when I see it. Anyway, we have a lot of work to do before this house will be functional again.", Harry commented dryly as he glanced around the room.

Every area in the room was covered with a layer of dust that had been growing for the last three years. A few spider webs could be spotted in the corners of the room and in the armchairs that were placed next to them. '_If the rest of the house looks like this room, then it will take some time to clean everything, even with the help of the house elves.' _Harry thought and grimaced slightly when he remembered that he needed to call Dobby and the others. He was just not up to the enthusiastic greetings they surely would receive from them.

Sighing heavily, he advised his son to brace himself as he squared his own shoulders. He ignored the questioning look he got from Naruto and took a deep breath and bellowed.

"Dobby!"

When nothing happened for a few seconds, he prepared himself to shout again when a loud 'pop' was heard around the room. Again, a large cloud of dust filled the room, making it hard to see anything. Before the dust had a chance to settle down again on the floor, a quick 'snap' of the fingers was heard. Immediately, the room cleared and suddenly Harry had a crying house-elf attached to his left leg. The creature babbled on so fast, that the young wizard could only make out the words 'Master', 'home' and 'happy'. Harry decided to wait until the elf calmed down on his own.

Meanwhile, Naruto watched with large curious eyes. Of course his dad had explained what the funny looking animal was and what it looked like, but to see it in real life was different. The long ears, ratty clothes, large round eyes and the most annoyingly high pitched voice Naruto had ever heard (not counting his own when he whined) made him think that house elves were very weird and odd looking.

After a couple of minutes, where the sound of crying was the only thing that was heard, Harry finally had enough. Placing his hand on the creature's shoulder he leaned down and spoke to the distraught elf.

"Dobby, calm down! Stop crying, for Merlin's sake!" He heaved a heavy sigh when his plea went unheard. "DOBBY!", Harry finally shouted while shaking the small animal one time roughly.

Dobby immediately stopped crying and watched his master with undisguised awe and adoring eyes. "Master Harry Potter is finally back! Dobby is overjoyed! Dobby did not think that Master Harry Potter would come back again." Dobby grabbed his long ears and stretched them even longer towards the floor.

"Well, now I am back and right now I am in a dire need of your help and the other house elves. But first, let me introduce my son, Naruto." Harry waved his hand vaguely at his son's way, a small fond smile adorning his lips as it always did when he presented Naruto as his own.

"Master Harry Potter has a son! Dobby will service Young Master as best Dobby can!" Dobby turned his tennis-round eyes on Naruto which made the younger boy cringe slightly in discomfort. Let's face it, those eyes were just creepy sometimes.

"Good, now can you gather the other house-elves without alerting Remus? I don't want him to know right know that we are back just yet. After we have settled and packed up, we will visit perhaps.", Harry spoke softly to the house-elf that nodded his head almost violently.

"Dobby will gather the others without wolf-master noticing. Dobby and the others shall clean the manor from top to bottom."

"Thank you Dobby. Now, Naruto and I will be eating out so that you get some time to clean the most important rooms. The rooms I want you to clean first are my master bedroom, the room next to mine, it will be my son's room from now on, and the kitchen. The other rooms come after them. Understood?", Harry instructed the creature, who nodded again and then vanished in poof,

Harry exclaimed a heavy sigh, glad to have that over with. House elves were really handy to have but sometimes they just become too much to handle. Especially enthusiastic ones like Dobby. He muttered _tempus_ and it showed that it was 18.35 in the evening.

"Hey dad, how many of those weird things do we own?", Naruto asked his dad with a puzzled expression on his face. He had a sudden picture of an invading army of large tennis-eyes and long ears. He shuddered at the vision and tried to push it deeper into his mind to forget it, sadly with no success at all.

"I think it's about five or six. Some of them will continue to serve a friend of mine so there will be around two or three that stay in this house. Anyway, we should head out and eat something.", Harry suggested as Naruto's stomach growled loudly, making the young boy blush slightly.

Naruto nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I'm starving here!", Naruto shouted vigorously and immediately began to imagine what kind of delicious food he would like to eat.

"Naruto.", the serious tone of his father's voice grabbed the young boy's attention. "In this world your name is too strange and mine is too well-known. Therefore, we will change it to blend in better here. I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention, is that clear? I have decided to switch my name to James, it's my middle name that I got from my father."

Naruto nodded and immediately tried to come up a name to change to, but he came up blank. Harry smiled fondly at his son, proud that he understood and didn't complain about the name exchange.

"I have a suggestion for your new name. _Nathaniel_ and if you want to, you can shorten it to _Nate_. What do you say?", Harry spoke in a soft voice and watched his son test out the name. He personally thought it suited his son perfectly.

"I like it dad.", Naruto answered in a somber voice that he didn't use very often, he was naturally a very happy and bright boy especially after his father adopted him. "What does it mean?"

Harry kneeled before his son and settled his hands on the younger boy's shoulder. He sought eye contact and spoke in gentle, but firm tones to show how genuinely sincere he was.

"Nathaniel means 'gift of god', my son. I choose that name because that's what you are for me. You are my gift from god." Seeing his son tearing up, he pulled the unresisting boy into his arms and hugged him tightly.

"I love you dad, thank you." The words were muffled against his shirt but Harry heard them nonetheless.

Something inside Harry clicked, like the jagged edges of a zipper coming together to fill crevices and spaces that had previously been vacant. He had named his 'child' and it felt so right to just hold him in his embrace. He had never understood the powerful feeling of naming ones child before now.

"I love you too, son.", Harry said with all the love he could muster up.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After staying locked in an embrace for several minutes, they made their way to the front door. Because Harry himself was deprived of love in his childhood, he knew how much Naruto needed him to show that he loved him openly. The hugs, kisses on the head, and touches on the shoulder were to show that he was not alone and that meant the world for the five year old. He knew that situations like earlier needed to be handled with care because they were a big part of Naruto's continued improvement of showing his emotions that weren't over-joyed or sadness.

Reigning in his thoughts to mull over some other time, he showed his son the way to the front door and pointed out where the different rooms were located. As the sitting room was located on the first floor, Harry had to wait until later to show the other floors. As they began to near the door, Harry felt like doing something mischievous towards his son.

"Oh Naruto…", he chirped with an annoyingly cheerful voice that screamed that something was going on.

His son immediately eyed him suspiciously, having heard that kind of tone before. It often ended with him in shock or sputtering in embarrassment and rage. No, when his dad was sounding like that, it was best to stay away, not that he could escape anyway, but he had to at least try right? But because he was a fellow prankster at heart, he had to get revenge after every prank, which often ended in a prank war sooner or later.

"What?", Naruto asked with narrowed eyes as he edged away from his father's side.

"I just want to show you something I have in my pocket. Come a bit closer.", Naruto´s father said with a smile he saw through immediately.

"Nuh-uh, no way I would get fooled by something that lame!", Naruto shouted with an extremely offended expression on his face.

"I see, you don't want the candy I saved for you then. Well, more for me I suppose.", Harry fake sighed and plastered up a cheerful look on his face.

Naruto immediately changed his mind, conveniently enough forgetting his father's earlier suspicious expression, which was Harry's intention from the start. Naruto walked closer to the taller man with an unsuspecting look on his face. As he came close enough Harry saw his chance and took a firm hold of his son by putting his hand under Naruto´s armpits. The young boy squealed as he was lifted into the air and onto his father's shoulders. Grabbing a tight hold around the man's neck, he couldn't help but laugh in excitement.

Every time his father did something like this, something so fatherly, he forgot all the years he went without his parents. He loved it when Harry hugged him close when he had done something good or ruffled his hair when he was in a good mood. Every touch was wonderful to Naruto and every one of them were cherished and remembered.

All thoughts of revenge were discarded as he hugged his father from his position on the back. All plans for a revenge prank for tricking him could wait until after he had savored the closeness to his father.

Though, as every other child his age, he felt the need to whine in protest for being handled as a kid.

"Daddy!", Naruto whined as he pouted cutely, though Harry would never say that out loud. He could almost imagine the tantrum Naruto would unleash on him if he did.

"Hai, hai. I know, you are not a child anymore.", Harry teased gently, then turning a bit more serious. "Son, I want you to stay on my back until I set you down. I know that you are stronger and faster than any other child around here, but there are many other things that you are yet aware of. I have told you about cars and such, but it is another thing to hear about it and experience it yourself. Therefore, until you are a bit more used to it, I want you to stay on my back or walk closely to me. Am I clear?"

"Yes dad. I will be careful, I promise.", Naruto tried to sound mature and serious, but the excitement and anticipation shined through distinctly.

Harry smiled fondly at his son's enthusiasm and opened up the entrance door. Immediately, he heard Naruto's sharp intake of air as the sound from the outside surrounded them.

Naruto stared wide-eyed at the buildings and people before him. Tightening his hold around his dad's neck, he let his eyes roam around, taking in as much as possible at the same time. The houses were gigantic, according to him at least, all in the same boring beige colour. They even looked the same and were even higher than the Hokage's tower, which was the highest building in Konoha. People walked on both sides of the streets and it seemed as if all of them were in a hurry somewhere. But the most interesting and attention-grabbing thing was the _cars. _Naruto stared in amazement at the strange looking things that came in all different colours. But even though they were among the coolest things he had ever seen, they smelled awful and the noise, ah the noise. Naruto desperately wanted to press his hand against his ears. The cars growled, clonked, beeped and screeched, making a terrible sound that the younger boy wasn't used to.

Harry immediately noticed his son's distress and tried to sooth him. "It's okay Naruto, you will get used to it after a while. It doesn't always sound this bad either. Right now is where everyone finishes work, which is the busiest time of the day, except for the mornings. We will not go far today, just around the street to eat, as we both are not used to the time zone and we have a lot to do today."

Naruto only nodded, feeling oddly relived and loosened slightly his tight hold around the neck so that he wasn't choking the older man. As he once again observed the surroundings, Harry explained and pointed out the most important things that were located closely to their house as well as landmarks or unique things that would help guide the way back to the house if he ever got lost.

"The street we live on is named Lancaster Mews. That is important that you remember, okay?", Harry asked his son and, when he felt a nod above his head, he continued. "There is a small bar just around the corner where we will eat. The place is called Sheila's Sandwich Bar and they have all kinds of different toppings to choose from and many kinds of snacks and beverages. It is one of my favourite places to go to if I want to buy a light lunch. I am sure you will find something that is to your liking in time."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry smiled happily as he almost bounced down the street. He couldn't wait to show all the other things that made living in this area such a joy to his son. He wanted to share his experience in this world with his only son, like a parent who wanted to pass on certain knowledge that only was known in the family. In other words, Harry felt like a proud parent showing the world for his first offspring. It was such an overwhelming feeling that he couldn't stop the silliest of smiles from appearing on his face and staying that way, no matter how many odd looks the people on the street were throwing at him for it.

Soon, they arrived at the bar and Harry immediately ordered what he thought his son would like. For himself, he bought a tuna sandwich and a cheese and bacon sandwich for Naruto. As there were no seats to sit at Harry decided to walk around the neighborhood, a chance for Naruto to become a little more familiar with it.

An hour later they appeared outside the house, or the small manor, as it was rather heavily enlarged inside by magic. Naruto had remained on his shoulder the whole walk, quite content to sit on his father's back. Harry was forced to explain what seemed like thousands of things because of Naruto's curiosity. Not that he minded, but he was repeatedly interrupted by a new question as he was explaining the one from before. The results were good as they approached the door, a beaming Naruto and a very worn out Harry.

The moment they stepped into the house, a very excited Dobby informed them that the two bedrooms and kitchen was cleaned and done. The rest would be finished under the night and following day. Despite Harry's objection about the house-elves working the whole night, Dobby refused to stop. There was not enough to do at Remus' house for all of them and the house-elves felt that they needed to regain the lost time that Harry had been gone. Apparently, they wanted to punish themselves as well for letting the house become so dusty and not being ready for when Master Harry Potter would return from his 'trip'. The green-eyed wizard could only shake his head at the stubborn creatures in defeat.

Setting his son on the floor, Harry began to walk towards the kitchen. As they entered the doorway, Harry laid his hands on the younger boy's shoulders and sought eye contact.

"I want to show you the way from the kitchen to your room so that tomorrow you will know where to go. When you wake up tomorrow I want you to go directly to the kitchen, understood?", Harry sternly demanded with a serious look in his eyes. "The reasons are that a lot of the rooms are greatly warded against anyone entering unless it's the house-elves or myself. Until they are all done, I don't want you to explore anything. This is for your safety and my peace of mind. Can you promise me to contain yourself from breaking this simple rule?"

"Of course, Dad. I'm a big boy now, you can trust me." Naruto pushed out his chest snobbishly and nodded gravely. He was, though, very curious about the house, but if the rooms where so dangerous that his Father had to use '_the tone'_, as he liked to call it, then it wasn't worth it to disobey.

Naruto received a proud smile that made him feel all warm and mushy inside, which made it even easier to keep the promise.

The two of them walked slowly through the hallways, not really feeling the need to hurry. As they walked up the stairs, Naruto eagerly peered into every moving picture, waving happily back as some of them waved a hand and smiled gently towards him. While keeping a close eye on his son, Harry let his mind think through what was top priority and needed to be done first.

Harry had so many things running through his mind; he needed to contact the Lupin family, visit Gringotts, make the name exchange legally, stock the food cellar and tons of other things that weighed heavily on his mind. Sooner than he thought, they arrived at Naruto's room and he had to grab the younger boy by the wrist to stop him from walking further, too busy checking the walls to pay any attention to his father's stop.

"This will be your room.", Harry softly stated as he opened up the door. The inside was painted in a soft green that was beautiful and easy on the eyes. The bed was made in a darker wood, called Dark Alder, as was the table and chair. A large window was built so it was showing the backyard which was in full bloom with large oak trees casting shadows on the ground. As it was in the middle of June, the weather wasn't too hot or too cold.

There was a door on the left side, which was leaded to a walk-in closet. It was currently filled to the brim with clothes of every variety possible in adult size and Naruto's clothes from the elemental land. They would later go through the adult clothes to either save and re-size them or throw away. The door to the bathroom was in the right side and it was equipped with a large bathtub, a shower stall, toilet, sink, a hanger for the towels and the house-elves were intelligent enough to add a small pallet for Naruto to reach up to the sink. The whole room was painted in different blue shades, that when you walked through the door it was similar to the feeling of a diving into the sea.

"Wow, its awesome Dad! Is this really my room?", Naruto murmured dreamily as he surveyed the room with big bright eyes.

"Yes, from now on, this room will always be yours. Of course, if you want too, you can buy new furniture and change the color, but I will only say this one more time. No orange or black on the walls in paint form. You can put up posters in those colors, but they cannot cover the whole wall, got it?", Harry dryly replied with a glance at his son.

Naruto pouted momentarily, but was interrupted by a large yawn that made his chin crack slightly. Harry decided that it was time for bed for his son as the day had been tough on him, both the traveling through the worlds and the new environment. He ushered the boy into the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and washed his face.

Harry busied himself by searching through the closet to find pajamas to re-size until they could buy new ones. The last one from the elemental world was worn out from many months use and Harry wanted the best for his only son. From the bathroom, he heard the toilet flush as he waved his hand over a pajama set that was white with orange dots. He was sure Naruto would absolutely love this one, it was not originally his, but Ron's in fact.

Harry waited for Naruto to exit the bathroom for a few minutes, but when no one walked out and it was silent inside he decided to check so everything was alright. He stuck his head through the bathroom door and searched for his son. He spotted him sitting on the closed toilet, head lulled back as he slept softly.

Harry smiled fondly as he lifted the child up into his arms and walked to the bed. He pushed away the covers and buried Naruto under them. Tucking the covers neatly around him, Harry gazed gently down on him. As always, nothing could beat the feeling of harmony as he watched his child sleep innocently as he guarded him. Gently stroking the baby soft cheek, Harry sighed happily.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The morning sun shined blazingly into the green-eyed man's face as he slowly awoke from his deep sleep. Murmuring for another five minutes of sleep, he turned around so his back was facing the window and promptly fell asleep again. Ten minutes later, Harry was awakened by a loud pop and a high twittering sound that sounded suspiciously like a certain bird of his. Not long after, he felt the sheet being pulled away and he forced himself to sit up in surprise. He groaned as he was met with the sight of Fawkes holding the cover in the air, a smug aura around him as he chirped happily, the sound slightly muffled by the fabric.

"Fine, I will get up. Stop nagging Fawkes, I'm on my way.", Harry grumpily replied to the annoyingly ecstatic fire-turkey.

Fawkes, feeling his mission complete and done, dropped the sheet on the floor and flamed away to wherever Hedwig was currently hiding from him. Why? He had no idea, but he suspected that the female owl was a bit mad at him for getting the job to deliver a letter to the Hokage just before they went away. The she-bird was awfully territorial about the delivering job, but just this time, Harry had decided that it would take too long for the letter to arrive and for the answer back to arrive if Hedwig was to be the one to deliver it. Fawkes had tried to apologize by getting her a pair of juicy mice, but Hedwig had only looked at them before sweeping away, not even casting a glance at him.

Not really knowing what to do about the temperamental female, Fawkes decided to pay Harry back for the inconvenience that he had created and hoped that the wizard would solve it by getting another job that would go to the snow-white owl.

Harry sighed tiredly, but finally managed to lift himself off the bed. He slowly made his way to the bathroom, yawning every now and then, plus cursing annoying fire birds and owls that were way to energetic in the mornings.

Thirty minutes later, he exited freshly showered and dressed for the day. Harry's rapidly growing hair was tied back low and he was wearing a pair of cut-off shorts and a baggy white t-shirt. He wasn't going anywhere outside and wanted to be as comfortable as possible because they had a lot to do today.

He waved his wand once, muttered _tempus,_ and smoky black numbers appeared in the air and formed '_10.45'_. He decided that he had wasted enough time of the day and went to awaken his most likely sleeping son. As he closed the door to his room and begun to walk down the hallway, he noticed that the walls were sparkly clean, as were the floors and the ceiling. While immensely grateful towards to peculiar creatures, he worried slightly if they had gotten any sleep at all that night.

He sighed, knowing that he could do nothing about it, but he decided to do something nice for them after they were done cleaning the house, whether they wanted it or not. He rapped lightly on the door to his son's room and heard a grunt of sorts in reply. He pushed the door opened and stepped foot into the dimly lit room.

As he entered, he immediately saw a snoring Naruto that had somehow twisted the sheets around his legs, leaving the upper body bare. The green-eyed wizard walked over to the bed and tried to shake the young boy into awareness. Noticing its failure, he tried to call him awake in a fairly soft voice. Again met with failure he decided to use the method he knew worked, but didn't use very often.

"Naruto, the ramen is on fire!", the wizard hollered in the ear of his sleeping son. As he had predicted, Naruto flew up with a panicked expression on his face that was borderline horror.

"No! Water, someone water! Please, save the poor ramen! Please…", Naruto trailed off as he noticed that he was in his new room and there was no ramen in sight. A perplexed look on his face showed that he was greatly confused and then understanding dawned upon him as he heard laughter.

The smile on Harry's face grew until it threatened to break it in two. Suddenly, he threw his head back and began to laugh, much to his son's embarrassment and fury. "It's hilarious every time I use this trick!" Harry continued to snicker at his son's tomato-red face.

"Dad! I hate it when you do that to me! Soon I will get nightmares about burning ramen!", Naruto yelled at his evil and immature father. Noticing that Harry only rolled his eyes with an amused grin on his lips, he threw the deadliest glare he could muster.

Harry immediately held his hands up in a peace gesture with an innocent look on his face. Naruto didn't buy it for a minute, seeing as he used the exact gesture himself a fair amount of times. The seemingly sincere man uttered, 'Sorry', but it didn't help convince the blond haired child either.

"I'm beginning to suspect that you like torturing me.", he stated matter-of-factly, giving Harry a pointed look, which the older male only smiled at.

"Anyway, it's time for breakfast Sparkly. Shower and dress, then come down to the kitchen.", Harry instructed, then turning a tad bit serious. "You remember what I told you yesterday about going straight to the kitchen, right?" Getting a firm nod from the sunshine haired child, Harry settled with ruffling the spiky hair before sweeping out of the room.

Just as the house-elf named Libby sat the last breakfast dish on the table, Naruto came running down the stairs, gliding the last meter into the kitchen with a cheerful smile on his face. Harry briefly glanced over the morning paper before looking down again.

"What have I said about running in the house in the mornings?", Harry reprimanded in a mild voice behind his paper.

"Not to.", Naruto cheerfully answered without delay as he sat down at the table. He heard his father sigh, but took no notice of it as he began to gather his breakfast onto his plate.

Silence filled the kitchen as they ate, as it usually did. Both enjoyed the calm and just being in the presence of the other. Not until they were both satisfied, and Harry was sipping lazily on his coffee, did they begin to talk about what they needed to do in the house. After calling Dobby and getting a report about how much of the house was finished, they decided to explore the cleaned rooms. Apparently, the whole house was finished except the basement and the garden, which in the case of the latter, Harry wanted a big part in.

He wanted to raise medical plants and such because he didn't trust anyone else's potions other than his own. A plus was that if he could get Naruto to help him, then he would be able to teach him the basics and hopefully later he will be able to make his own potions. If in the future he still wanted to be a Ninja, then he wanted him to be prepared for all kinds of danger.

After a deeper investigation of the house and a rather late house-elf made lunch, which was a delicious meat dish and a cream of mushroom soup with cinnamon pound cake for desert, they both felt rather tired.

Harry settled Naruto down for a quick nap, ignoring all protest with practiced ease. Not even five minutes later, the child was deeply asleep, not likely to wake up anytime soon. As Harry sat down in the Common room, or Sitting room, whichever you preferred to call it, he pondered the wisdom of contacting the Lupin family.

He didn't want Naruto spending his childhood without friends, but he was reluctant to let his son out of his sight the first year or at least until he was more comfortable in this world. Harry wasn't ashamed to say that he was overprotective of his new son, not at all. But Naruto deserved to meet and have fun with other kids his age, Remus and Tonks had a son about nine years old, if his memory served him right.

Naruto was, much to Harry sadness, a bit more mature than his year-mates because of his upbringing. Perhaps they also could relate to each other in the fact that they couldn't meet normal people. For Teddy it was because of his power, which made him change form and color, which was very hard to explain to a muggle. Teddy wouldn't have the skill or strength to have total control until perhaps he was ready to enter Hogwarts.

For Naruto, it was his lack of knowledge about the new world he had arrived to. He wouldn't understand anything that the other children would talk about or different games that were popular in this world. Then, there was also his unnatural strength that far precedes an average five year old. It didn't help that he had a hard time controlling all that power either. But that would be solved when he started to train in different combat styles, hopefully.

Harry sighed tiredly, not really wanting to contact Remus right now, but called for one of the house-elves despite his whole being screaming at him to not do it.

"Libby!", Harry barely raised his voice, but the house-elf didn't seem to have any problem hearing it anyway. A small pop alerted him that the house-elf had arrived.

"What can Libby do for Master Harry?", the small female creature asked in a hopeful voice, hands wringing slightly in front of her.

"Libby, could you please get a piece of a parchment and a quill for me? And could you also alert Hedwig that I will soon need her help?", Harry asked the elf before him.

The creature practically beamed at him, in high spirits because he had called for just her to do his bidding. "Of course, Master Harry. Libby will immediately do what Master wishes." With a low bow, she popped away, only to reappear a few seconds later with parchment and a quill.

"Anything else Master wishes for?", Libby asked her Master with shining eyes.

"No, that would be all Libby, thank you for your help." Harry smiled gently towards the almost suddenly fainting creature. It was a sad fact that they feel so overwhelmed every time he thanked them for doing something, even after living with them for several years before. It's like it was inbred in them to not expect kindness from their Masters. He could understand their need to clean and serve a wizard, but he hated it when he saw people abuse the poor and kind creatures. For Harry, that was another reason for him to hate the wizarding world.

After Libby finally stopped muttering about how great and kind a wizard he was, she finally popped away. Rolling up the paper and setting it down on the table, he dipped the quill in the ink and prepared to start writing.

Several minutes slowly went past and Harry continued to stare down on the paper the contained only two written words, _Dear Remus. _Groaning, he leaned back into the armchair again. What was he supposed to write that would not bring Remus' wrath upon him. He really didn't want to visit yet, Harry wanted to make Naruto more used to this world first. And that was a perfectly good reason for him, at least he tried to convince himself that it was the reason he didn't want to see the werewolf right now. He wasn't scared or anything, nope not a bit scared at all.

A sloppy written letter lay on the table before he crushed it and threw it into the fire. Before it burned up the text could briefly be seen.

_Dear Remus_

_Sorry Remus, for disappearing for three years and only sending an owl in warning, but now I am back again. Perhaps we could get together and talk sometimes, catch up you know. Oh, and I have adopted a kid named Naruto, so if you want to bring Teddy with you they could get to know each other._

_Yours truly_

_Harry_

Right, like that would work. Nothing was that easy for him, ever. He couldn't help but dread Remus reaction when he would find out that he was back.

* * *

**Pehu, Finally a decent long chapter. It's pretty short compared to the other chapter except the first one but it was that or nothing at all. Not much happened in the chapter but it had a few cute scenes instead. **

**I hope everyone was pleased with the name, at least I was. It took a while for me to decide on which. Please review and tell me what you think about the chapter and if you have a suggestion on what could happen before they go back to the elemental world. I have a few things already planned out but there is always place for more.**

**I hope you enjoyed too read this chapter and I look forward to any response I will get.**

**Next chapter: **_The Lupin family_

**Toddles...**

**~~Tigersissi~~**


	9. The Lupin Family

**Hello everyone!**

**Here you have chapter 8!**

**Thanks everyone for your reviews and support. The updates may have come a bit longer apart than I feel are alright in the last times, but as every writer knows close to their heart, there is a life outside of internet and ffnet. **

**This chapter has been beta'd by ****XxTaintedxDaggerxX, thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_You are never too old to learn._

**Chapter 8**

"Normal speech**"**

_'Thinking'_

"_Snake speech__"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously:** _He couldn't help but dread Remus reaction when he would find out that he was back._

* * *

The morning after finally sending the blasted letter to Remus came silently and with dread for Harry as he practically dragged himself out of his bed. By the breakfast table, Naruto repeatedly asked if he was feeling alright, peering worriedly at him from time to time. The green-eyed man could only nod and produce a strained smile for his son, his stomach doing somersaults without his permission.

Harry silently swore never to upset or anger Remus like that again if it was the last thing he did. All this worrying and nail-biting were literally taking years of his life at the moment. He couldn't even remember what he had written in the letter. Somehow he had suppressed his memories of it and, from his current gut-wrenching feeling, it was not a particularly first-rate letter either. He frowned slightly at himself; it was not like him to be so nervous and scared of someone. All he was doing was worrying his son and running himself into the ground.

With a clank, Harry set down his glass of milk on the table, catching his son's attention at the same time. Producing an unyielding expression on his face, he turned to look at his son.

"Naruto, today we are going to work in the garden. I have several plants and seeds ready to be planted."

Naruto stared at him for a couple of seconds, quite surprised at the unexpected mood swing his father accomplished. After a moment, his head caught up and he nodded a little bewildered. If his father had to work in the garden to get out of his current funk, then so be it, even though he had to work as well. However, he had never done any labor in a garden before and Naruto was quite excited to try it.

After planting countless different plants that his father had produced out of nowhere, Naruto was more than ready to quit and go die for a day or two in his bed. His almost eccentric father apparently thought he should learn about the plants and what kind of potions they were used in at the time as they worked.

Naruto thought it was a completely useless knowledge, but he suffered through it, almost five hours later he was finally released from his new hell and escaped into his bedroom for the whole day, only reappearing when food was served on the table. He wowed to never freely work in the garden again, next time he was to take payment to do it.

Harry, on the other hand, was quite proud of his son. He knew that Naruto had a problem with staying still for long periods of time and actually paying attention when studying. For five whole hours, his son had endured his lectures, which he himself thought were deadly boring. He was so happy that his son had such a big amount of respect for him that he had actually lasted the whole lesson without whining at all. Harry was determined to do something nice for his only son later that day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was early next morning when an angry black owl come flying through the open window in the kitchen. Harry and Naruto were enjoying a delicious breakfast done by the elves as Harry had muscle aches from yesterday work, when they were attacked by the bird. The owl landed with a crash on the table, making several dishes with salad and other food slide of the table and land on the floor with a mighty crash.

Stunned, the two of them could only watch as the bird released a red steaming letter from its clutches before he took to air and turned his eyes to Harry. The black animal nipped hard on the stunned wizard's left ear before flying out through the window.

"Dad? What is that? It's smoking!", Naruto exploded after a short pregnant silent.

"That, my son, is a Howler. They-", Harry's hurriedly explanation was interrupted by the suddenly exploding letter. With a pale face, Harry could immediately recognize the voice of one pissed off man named Remus J. Lupin.

**"HARRY JAMES POTTER! HOW DARE YOU VANISH FOR THREE YEARS WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I HAVE BEEN, YOUNG MAN! ALL I GET IS HOUSE-ELVES WHO KNOW NOTHING EXECPT THAT YOU ARE GONE! THEN I GET A LETTER FROM YOU, A LETTER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU WERE TOO COWARDLY TO FACE ME IN PERSON! WHEN I TRIED TO FLOO TO YOU IT WAS ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT YOU HAVE CLOSED DOWN YOUR FLOO NETWORK! OPEN IT IMMEDIATELY! NOW! OR FACE MY WRAITH!** **WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOUNG MAN, YOU WILL REGRET THAT YOU WERE EVEN BORN!"**

Abruptly as the letter had started, it ended. The letter burned up with a high whine and ash crumbled down on the table. A heavy silence surrounded the room and neither of the breathing humans in the room seemed inclined to break it at the moment.

Then the older of them took a sudden deep shaky breath and, without looking at his son, began to speak again.

"I doubt you need me to explain what a howler is now, son. The sender of the letter was my honorable godfather, Remus Lupin. I sent him a letter yesterday when you took a nap." Harry expertly ignored the glare he got for the 'nap' comment from his annoyed son. "As soon as I open up the Floo Network again-"

"What's Floo Network?", Naruto piped in with a question, he held a quieter tone than normal because he was still a little shaken from the earlier events.

Harry smiled fondly at his son's curiosity. "Floo is a magical method of transportation through the fireplace. You don't have to use magic to activate it but you must have magic in your body for it to work. To make it activate you must have Floo powder which you cast into the fireplace, lit or not. Then you step into the fireplace, state the destination to another fireplace, and travel through the network to your endpoint. Though, the most dangerous thing with Floo travel is that if you say the destination wrong, then you can end up anywhere, either to house next door or the other side of the country. It happened to me once when I was young, not pleasant I promise you."

Harry shook his head once when he figured that he had jumped off track by his son's question. "Anyway, right know I have closed this house's fireplace from receiving calls or visitors' altogether. I did that before I left this world, which is why Remus was understandably very furious at me in the letter. The name for this destination, if you ever should need to travel here via Floo Network, is Potter Manor. Remember that."

"When I open the fireplace for visitors, Remus will surely come through sooner than later. But before that, I will tell you what I know about the Lupin family, so that you do not get too overwhelmed when he comes. Probably, he will not be in the best or calmest of moods to explain anything in the beginning." Harry paused to watch how Naruto took in everything.

The child was eagerly absorbing it in with wide watchful eyes. Even Naruto understood that this man was close and was the only family his father had left, except now for himself of course, Naruto thought with a satisfied grin. Naruto loved every moment in having a family to rely on and the thought of gaining more was, well, what he really wanted to say was 'go for it'! He barely remembered the rather angry letter when he begun to think about the prospect of gaining more family members.

As the older man saw the younger boy almost bounce on his place on the chair, he could only chuckle at the child's antics. He really hoped that the slightly older Teddy and Naruto would become good friends because both of them, especially Naruto, needed to have a friend their age. He didn't know the situation with Teddy, but he could guess. As Teddy was a metamorphagus, he could not play with normal muggle kids at all, the fear of exposing the wizarding world was too great. There was no magical kindergarten either for the children, they have instead a nanny or care-taker when the parents were off to work, pureblooded children, in that case, would have house-elves to take care of them.

He could imagine that Teddy didn't have many friends his age. Not many magical parents would let their kids close to a child who had a werewolf for a father. He didn't think the prejudice that the pureblooded families previously held before and under the war had vanished at all, a werewolf was still as dangerous as before for them.

Harry smiled sadly as he continued. "Remus has a wife named Nymphadora, though she hates her name and wants to be called Tonks, that's her maiden name before she married Remus. They had, before I left, a young son named Teddy Lupin. If I am counting right, then he should be around nine years old this year. Oh, and he has inherited a special ability called metamorphagus from his mother, which gives him the ability to change his face and body. If I had to guess, then he will perhaps be able to control how to change his eyes and hair color as he wishes, anything more will come as he grows older. Teddy is also my godchild, though I have only met him a few times, and even then, he was very small. He will not likely remember me at all."

Naruto nodded happily, obviously excited to make a friend around his own age. He couldn't wait to meet him and play with him. Though Naruto normally didn't have a problem in making friends as he was a very outspoken child and loved to make others smile, he never really had a very close and good friend.

On the year they travelled around in the elemental land, Harry mostly focused on making the bond between them stronger as father and son. Also, Harry wanted to make Naruto used to adapting to different places quickly, because when they later returned back, the experience Naruto had gained would help him when he became a ninja.

Harry knew that most people in the elemental land never left their village or country in their life time. Only travelers without a home or tradesmen who made their living by selling product on foot really saw the world, because that's what they lived off of.

And of course, the ninjas saw the world through their missions.

One of countless reasons many of them died in their early years in the ninja business was because they weren't used to the different environment that came with the very region in the land. Ninjas that come from the Konoha or Suna don't have a chance in hell when they get a mission in the snow countries, though not because they didn't prepare with clothes or supplies. The difference in fighting in their own warm countries and fighting in a land of snow are so great that the ninja's aren't prepared for it when it really counts. The snow ninjas can easily take advantage of that and, before the others can comprehend, they will already be dead. Of course, stronger and older ninjas can adapt so it didn't matter, but they have more experience than the bright eyed genins who easily get killed when sent on a mission they aren't ready for.

Also, because of the warmer weather, the ninjas of Konoha have jutsu's that are designed to match their own region because that is where they spend the most time. So when they get to the other countries, their skills, more often than not, slow them down because they are useless outside of their own land. To learn other countries jutsu's are practically impossible unless you find someone willing to teach you, which is pretty problematic in itself.

By giving Naruto a chance to visit and experience the different weather countries, he wouldn't be as bothered like normal ninja would be. Harry would give his son every advantage he could before letting him go to face the adult world and everything that comes with it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When Harry noticed that Naruto wasn't listening to his lecture of the Lupin family anymore, he could only roll his eyes and sigh in defeat. Really, he was only stalling for time before he had to open the Floo Network and he hated himself for it. He couldn´t believe he was scared to face the normally composed and kind Remus. When he had left to travel to the elemental region, he must have been in a really poor form to not realize the storm that would be unleashed when he would eventually return, which Harry knew that he would sooner or later.

He could only sigh and shake his head at his own foolishness and hope that everything would end for the best. Or as the saying goes, 'We'll burn that bridge when we get to it.' Something Neville liked to say when he didn't understand some complex magic or task.

Gathering all his Gryffindor courage that he had available, he determinedly walked towards the Common room were the fireplace was located. He was closely shadowed by his son who wanted to meet this Remus Lupin, which his father seemed to think so highly of. Normally his father was never afraid of anything, at least he hadn´t seen it in any situation they had been in. Ever since they had met that day in the alley, his father was his rock in life and his safe zone where he would always be protected. Naruto could clearly see that his father was uneasy about this person despite apparently liking him very much, so he thought he was justified in being nervous to meeting the new stranger.

As Harry walked into the Common room, he quickly approached the fireplace and lifted his wand. He paused slightly to take a deep breath and begun to chant softly in Latin. A sea blue mist surrounded the fireplace and after a couple of seconds it dispersed into nothing. The green-eyed man took a shaky breath as he seated himself in one of the armchairs and, as the child walked closer to him, he pulled the sunshine haired boy close in a tight hug, it comforted both of them similarly.

When nothing happened for several minutes, both of the individuals begun to relax and chuckle sheepishly at their obvious paranoia. As soon as they let down their guard, the fireplace suddenly flared to life on its own and spit out a tall, brown haired man with several noticeably gray colored strips in it. The face looked carved into stone as he surveyed the room and his gaze eventually settles on the pair in the armchair.

The man's stern gaze seemed to falter slightly when it fastened on the young child cocooned in the other man's embrace. A softer stare was given to the boy, but as the older man moved his eyes towards the other man in the room, it went back into a hard stern appearance.

Harry sat frozen on the armchair with Naruto on his lap. He had no idea what to say or do without making things plausibly worse. If that was possible in any way. Harry endured Remus scrutiny silently, trying to not make a move. He waited with bated breath for Remus to speak first while he took the opportunity to look over the older man himself.

The years from when he had left seemed to have aged Remus well. Instead of the half-starved werewolf with patched robes and a tired expression, there was, in its place, a confident middle-aged man in his best years that had control over his life and was quite satisfied with it. Overall, it seemed like Remus had a couple of really good years with his wife and son. Harry was happy for him. One of his fears was that the ministry would be against the man and his family because of his close relation to himself.

Harry was shaken from his thought by Remus steeping closer. As he looked up, he met the other man's eyes and was promptly stunned from what he saw. The stern expression had melted away, leaving a hurricane of emotion, all which was openly displayed in Remus gaze. Slowly Harry removed the very silent Naruto from his lap and stood gracefully up. He took a few hesitant steps forward in the direction towards the silent man. Before he could react, he was encased in a strong armed hug which took his breath away.

Harry unsuccessfully tried to stop his tears from falling, instead he buried his face in Remus shoulder. His body begun to shake with hard suppressed sobs and was mirrored by the other as well. The hug tightened as none of them wanted to ever let go. For several minutes, the only thing that could be heard in the room was heart wrenching sobs and hiccups.

Naruto sat in the armchair with tears falling in river down his face as well. It was not sad tears at all. it was happy tears for his father. He was so happy for his father to be reunited with someone who obviously meant so much to him.

As Harry's tears and sobs begun to subside, he heard a whisper in his ear.

"You stupid, foolish child, how could you leave without saying at least goodbye to me." The voice was marginally broken from the intense emotions that the words that had been spoken with.

"I am so sorry Remus, so sorry!" Harry hiccupped with barely recognized voice as he still had his head pressed into the others shoulder.

"Do you have any idea how worried I have been for the past years that you have been gone? All the scenarios I have visualized, all the hardships that you could have gotten into without being able to call for help. I didn't even know whether you were alive or dead." The extreme hurt and sadness were evident in Remus voice as he spoke with a low tone, showing how deeply Harry's disappearance had wounded and worried him.

"I am so sorry, I was desperate for an escape from what was called my life. I couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was ripping into pieces, each one broken and hurt more than I could ever explain. I felt like I was betraying my friends by fading away, I had to live if only for them.", Harry spoke from his heart as he clutched to the elder man.

He felt Remus release him slightly in order to face him. Their eyes met and immediately the older man's expression softened into a loving one. The bitter smile on Harry's face made Remus' heart ache. He reached out with both hands and gently held his face. "You cannot have a future if you continue to be trapped in the past."

Green eyes shifted to the ground, "But the past refuses to let me go no matter what I do."

"Letting go of the past does not mean forgetting about it.", Remus explained patiently. "Your past is what makes you the person you are today, without it, who know how you would have ended up as. Remembering your friends is something you should be able to do with joy, not sadness or desperation. "

Harry gaze as the elder man with an almost awed expression. Sometimes, Remus really knew what he needed to hear to make him feel better. Suddenly realizing he must look like a star-stricken ten-year old, he quickly tried to change it a more neutral looking one. Finally, he chuckled slightly and hugged the man once more before letting go completely.

"Thank you, Remus. I think I needed to hear that. Now let me introduce my son to you." Harry walked over to the armchair and laid a hand on Naruto shoulder and beamed at Remus. "This is Naruto, soon to be renamed Nathaniel, my adopted son. Naruto this is Remus Lupin, my honorable godfather."

Naruto blushed at the sudden attention he got from the older man and watched wide-eyed as the man kneeled before him and shook his hand with a bright smile on his lips. The young boy had been content to remain at the sidelines and just observe the adults, liking the smile his father had smiled for the older man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Naruto. I hope we will become good friends one day." Remus smiled fondly at the suddenly nervous boy before him.

"It's nice to meet you too, Lupin-san.", Naruto shyly answered with small smile, ducking his gaze down to his lap to avoid eye-contact and hide his reddening cheeks.

Remus chuckled amused. "You can call me Remus, little one."

Naruto blushed even redder as he nodded happily and looked up to search for his father. Harry immediately knew what Naruto sought after and quickly wrapped his arms around him to lift him onto his hip. The child's arms encircled around the wizard's neck to regain his balance and snuggled as close has he could, hiding his face between the shoulder and neck.

Naruto, Harry had discovered early on, was an extremely affectionate being who seemed to crave any and all contact. He found he rather liked it as he himself was starved of any interaction between family members. He relished in giving the child a hug or kiss on the forehead as a loving gesture at night, carrying him on his hips like the child he was or read with the child sitting in his lap preparing for a nap.

Harry sent a gentle smile at Remus. "Perhaps we should take this in the kitchen. Naruto and I have both missed breakfast. I know that this little bugger can get quite cranky later in the day when missing the morning food." Harry teased Naruto as he bounced the child gently in his grasp.

Naruto giggle softly, forgetting to be shy for a moment, but he could indeed feel his stomach grumble now when the worst of the tension was over and the atmosphere had calmed down.

"No, Dad, I don't get cranky! I am not a baby!", Naruto whined loudly before abruptly realizing that he sounded like a small child with a tantrum, thus proving that his father right.

The extremely loud laughs that echoed through the house testified that the adults had realized this much as well. Naruto settled for pouting and muttering about 'annoying adults'. Though inwardly, he was elated that he could make them laugh so freely all by himself.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The rest of the morning went swiftly by as Remus entertained them with stories of the wizarding world and what had changed since Harry had left. In the end, Harry and Remus parted on good terms and already planned to introduce Teddy to Naruto as soon as possible. The Potters waved Remus off as he disappeared through the fireplace with a whoosh and green sparks.

Harry could tell that Naruto already liked Remus a great deal and he was very pleased by the reunion. He couldn't wait to see Teddy again, despite not thinking all that much about the boy when he was in the elemental nation, he looked forward to getting to know him. If the boy was anything like Tonks, then he would be an easy child to love, just like Naruto. Being with children, Harry discovered, was like soothing balm to his battered soul. Naruto especially was like a shining star in the darkness for him, with his sunny and bright smile.

They enjoyed a quiet lunch from the house-elves because Harry had no energy left to cook anything but noodle soup, which none of them wanted to eat anyway. Naruto then went to take a nap without prompting, proving how tired the child really was. Harry took the time to sort out his emotions in the Common room with a small glass of brandy to occasionally sip on. He felt quite exhausted by the whole pandemonium earlier that morning. At least he and Remus were not fighting or on bad terms, which he had dreaded and almost anticipated they would be, at least on the first couple of months.

Though, Harry suspected the reunion went so well because of Naruto. As long as he had known Remus, he had always had a soft spot for children, it seemed that it only had grown now when he had a child on his own. Once again, just Naruto present in his life saved his hide.

He smiled as he remembered a night when they travelled in the Land of Tea when Naruto had saved him from a lot of grief.

*******Flashback*******

_Harry stared numbly at his dearest friends, his family, lying on the ground. He didn't know what to do or say. What mattered when his family was dead before him? He'd rather have Voldemort alive if that was what it took to have them back alive again. What was he supposed to do now? Everything seemed so meaningless now, nothing mattered anymore. He could feel the cold creeping into his veins, his heart pounded hurtfully like it wanted to tear itself away, not wanting to stay with a person who felt nothing. _

_Ron looked the most peaceful, he had probably been hit with an Avada Kedavra before feeling any pain from the slashing curse he'd received, the cut still bleeding across his stomach. His face was drawn in concentration; an expression Harry had seen so many times when he was trying to learn something difficult or trying to understand Hermione's ramblings. At least he hadn't suffered much._

_Luna had the most painful expression on her face. She didn't have any cuts or bruises on her body except for one. Around her neck was the evidence that she had been strangled by a curse that was designed to cut of the victims air while pressing around the throat. It was a very excruciating death, but almost merciful when thinking of the many other more horrible curses she could have died of._

_Harry could barely look at Neville's body, despite the numb feeling in his body. Neville's head was severed much like the Gryffindor's house ghost. The blood was spread everywhere, creating a horror scene which few people could look at without empting her or his stomach. Neville probably died instantly when the curse hit him, sparing him from any pain or agony._

_The one who had suffered the most was Hermione. From what Harry could see, she was missing a leg and one arm. When he saw what little you could see of her face, Harry's eyes shut on its own accord. The agony she must have experienced when he wasn't there to protect her shone through the dead dull eyes. The expression was something he never would forget in his mortal life._

*******Flashback end*******

Suddenly, with a snap, Harry awoke from the horrible dream, or memory, he added with a melancholy tone. His breathing was erect and short as he tried to take deep breaths to calm himself. When he felt drops of water land on his hand, he realized that he was crying rivers without knowing. He recoiled backwards when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Quickly looking to the side, he was met with a pair of sky blue eyes looking at him with concern, never ever pity.

Quickly taking what the other offered, he reached for the child and settled the boy in his lap, hugging him tightly. In his grief stricken mind, Harry knew that Naruto tried to help him in the only way he knew how, because the sunshine haired child had many nightmares from attacking mobs and every time Harry was there for him to soothe the memories away with gentle words and touches.

Just the presence of the child calmed his nerves and made the hideous memories fade a bit into his mind. Tenderly, he kissed the child on the head and whispered his thanks in a hushed voice. He was relieved that Naruto didn't speak because he didn't know if he could say anymore without breaking into more tears.

The morning after, Naruto spoke to him in a sorrowful voice. "It's not fair that daddy should suffer so much when he is such kind and gentle person."

Harry could only smile fondly and couldn't help but repeat something Hermione once said to him. "Life, I find, generally is not fair to anyone."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Even now, several years after their death, just thinking of them made Harry's eyes cloud with tears and his heart ache with longing, but the wild grief that had usually ripped through him at the thought of them before wasn't so strong. It was more like an old wound that ached on a rainy day. He would never forget them, but he could learn to live on, even if just for his beloved son.

Harry never noticed when he fell asleep in the armchair, though when he awoke he was instantly aware of the extra weight in his lap. Apparently, Naruto had woken up and sought after him, Harry suspected that the child probably had a nightmare.

He circled his arms around the boy to hold him more firmly. He slowly reached for a book that lay on the table next to the armchair and begun to read, quite content with his current situation altogether, despite all things that had happened to make it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next five days, Harry and Naruto spent fixing up the house to their liking. Meaning Naruto added multiple different colors on the walls with the help of the house-elves which were delighted to help the young master and Harry running after them to check the damage and change it to a more suitable decoration.

The gardens were also finished with a little help from a house-elf named Pixi, who specialized in garden work. The result made Harry smile like never before and Naruto, in secret, sigh in joy that he didn't need to work in the backyard anymore. When Harry eventually realized just how much Naruto hated doing anything with plants and the garden, he found the perfect punishment, should the child ever be naughty or disrespectful.

The almost evil smile that spread across the wizard's face could only be described as malevolent with deep hidden glee. When Naruto, a second later, turned towards his father the smile was nowhere to be seen, though an odd chill made its way down the child's spine causing him look around nervously.

Harry only continued to cackle evilly and rub his hands against each other inwardly. He only showed a small sincere smile outwards, effectively masking his hidden emotions.

The morning on their sixth day back arrived with a letter from Remus about introducing Teddy to Naruto the day after. Harry, being who he is, didn't want to Apparate or Floo Naruto to a place he was not familiar with just yet, so the meeting would be in the Potter Manor. For the rest of the day Naruto was in a hyper mode, running around the house like a manic, sporting a huge beaming grin without fail. Even when he accidently tripped because he got caught on the large rug in the hallway, the smile never faded.

Harry could only smile fondly at his son's antics and rub healing salve on the scratch wounds the child acquired on his mad runs.

The green-eyed wizard was, though, not smiling any longer when it was time for bed. The child stubbornly refused to sleep or even near the bed with five-foot pole. Harry tried first with sternly telling him to go to bed. Then he tried with bribing him into bed and then, as a last resort, threatened with garden work if he didn't go to bed immediately. Like a charm, the child changed clothes, brushed his teeth and promptly slipped into bed.

Harry could only shake his head in bemusement before sitting on the edge of the bed. He kissed his son goodnight on the forehead and hugged the child tightly before exiting the room.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A sleeping Harry was abruptly awaked at seven o'clock the next morning by an excited and hyper five-year old. The child lunged onto him, taking his breath from him as the boy hit his stomach. The wizard was seconds from scolding the child for being an annoyance far too early in the morning, but managed to stop himself. After all, the child was finally meeting someone his own age that he had a really good chance to make friends with. Harry could understand Naruto's enthusiasm, he himself felt similar when he had counted the days when he would go to Hogwarts the first time.

Instead, he decided to take his revenge a bit differently this time. Grabbing the smiling child, he began to tickle the unsuspecting boy mercilessly. The laughter echoed through the house as Naruto feebly tried to defend himself unsuccessfully. When Harry stopped his attack to give Naruto a moment to breath, the child slumped to the side, all rosy on the cheeks and a huge smile on his face.

"Morning dad.", Naruto breathed out between huge gulps of breath to intake some air. The smile, predictably, was ever present.

"Good morning Sparkly. A little excited today I take it?", Harry chuckled as he warmly watched his son lit up at the reminder.

"Yea! This is going to be so cool! Do you think he will like me? Do you think he will be my friend?", Naruto asked in a rush with almost pleading expression as he observed at his father.

Harry knew that Naruto was both happy and scared of what would happen today. All of the child's experiences with friends before his time with him were close to zero. When they travelled, they never stayed more than a few weeks, maybe a month or two, before they continued, which made all the people they met no more than a fleeting acquaintance. Sadly, this was Naruto's first try to become real friends with someone who wouldn't move away after a few weeks.

"As long as you are yourself Naruto, then everything will be fine. I can't promise everything will go perfect because it won't, but I'm sure Teddy is equally nervous as you are.", Harry replied and smiled affectionately at him.

"How do you know so much, Dad? I really tried to hide that I was nervous and you saw right through it!", Naruto exclaimed with wide eyes. Harry turned away slightly too hid his suddenly sorrowful face so his son didn't see it.

"Personal experience." Harry shrugged then, before turning to him fully now again. "And besides, I've said it before, I can see it in your eyes. A famous guy once said 'your eyes are the window to your soul'. All you have to do is look, but sometimes that's the hardest thing for someone to do...", Harry trailed off with a misty look.

Luna had once taken him aside to talk alone when he had felt particularly guilty about something he couldn't remember right this moment. Though, he did remember her words very clearly. She had softly informed him that his eyes told her everything she needed to know about how he felt because they were like windows into his soul for her. Then she had continued to scold him for feeling guilty when it was not his fault to being with or something like that.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted by Naruto nodding his head with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Anyway, what do you say about eating breakfast a little early today? I feel quite hungry.", Harry asked with a small smile spread across his face.

"I am hungry too. Can I get pancakes today?", Naruto asked with a hopeful look, or more like a puppy look which Harry melted immediately to.

"Of course you can. You can help to make the batter if you want.", Harry offered and received a joyful shout from the sunshine haired child.

After the batter was done and Harry was standing by the stove frying the pancakes, Naruto was helping set the table. His anxiety for the day was temporarily forgotten at the thought of the delicious breakfast, because really, who could resist pancakes, especially his father's pancakes? He hummed happily while imagining all the toppings he could pile on the pancake without making it nasty.

As soon as Harry was done with the food, Naruto began to eat with an alarming rate, which Harry skillfully ignored. Instead, he picked up the muggle paper and read while slowly eating his own share. As always, they spent the morning in relative silence, only speaking once or twice, both very content with that. A half an hour later, both were done and they enjoyed a drink each, coffee for Harry and milk for Naruto.

Afterwards, Harry decided that they shouldn't be greeting their guests in their pajamas, so he dragged Naruto up to his room to choose appropriate clothes. For Naruto, he picked a white and black t-shirt with swirling marks on the shoulder in dark green and pair of tasteful new black jeans. For himself, he selected a light blue sweater with matching dark blue, almost black, denims.

Harry didn't know why he felt that it was so important that they dressed up suitably, but he didn't feel any weirdness about it so he shrugged it off. Perhaps it was one of those parent-like things?

After having a mini war with a five-year old that only kept refusing to wear the, what he called, 'fancy' stuff, for the sake of being stubborn, they finally were ready to take on a couple of guests. While Harry wasn't especially nervous to meet Remus or Teddy, he really wanted to make a good expression on Tonks. He didn´t know her as well, only just that she guarded him while he lived at the Dursley's and the few times they had met at the headquarters.

When he and the others had escaped to the Potter manor, they lost all contact with the Order as they didn't want Dumbledore to find them. Only a few letter to and from Remus were sent just to keep contact, because they knew that they could trust Remus to not tell on them.

Leaving a disgruntled Naruto to whine about being able to dress himself, Harry proceeded to the kitchen to bake a cake as a desert after the dinner which the house-elves would cook for him. Wrapping an apron around him and a spell that protected him from any sticky substance from fastening on his clothes, he proceeded to make a chocolate mousse cake. It was one of his favorites, moist hazelnut and chocolate cake with dark chocolate mousse on top.

Half an hour into the working process, Naruto came slinking down the stairs and walked to kitchen, where he begun to beg to get a taste of the chocolate mousse with an extremely cute pair of puppy eyes. Harry threw him a look before heaving a sigh. He whipped out his wand and casted a couple of spells to ensure the clothes cleanness, then gave the child a used slew to lick on.

Satisfied with his share of the delicious chocolate, Naruto seated himself at the table rigorously licking the slew sparkling clean. When he had lived by himself in Konoha, he had thought that when the slew or other cooking utensil looked clean, like now when he licked it so, then it was safe to lay it back into the drawer to be used another day. But his father had quickly set him straight in that, telling him horrifying tales about bacteria and germs eating him alive from his stomach if he didn't clean the food tools with soap after using it.

Now, he always carefully cleaned what he had used at dinner or breakfast under the watchful eyes of his father, not seeing the amused glint in the older man's eyes.

As the clock begun to draw near to eleven, the time the Lupin family were set to arrive, Naruto's nerves begun to play up again. Harry fortunately saw it early on and quickly distracted the child by reading him his favourite story. Ten minutes later, Naruto was so absorbed in the happenings of the story that he calmed down and forgot once again to be nervous.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

When the clock chimed eleven, Harry just read quite animated for the captured five-year old about when the hero of the story was just about to save the princess from an evil sorcerer, which had kidnapped her. None of them noticed the time, quite lost in the fantasy in the tale.

The fire flashed to life, making them both startle from their relaxed state very abruptly. Two set of eyes stared at the fireplace as Remus came out first, followed shortly by Tonks with Teddy in her hold. Harry quickly set the book aside and stood up with Naruto by his side who seemed to decide to hide from sight by concealing himself behind his father. Teddy was obviously feeling the same uneasiness as Naruto and was also hiding behind one of his parents, in this case Tonks.

The adults in the room shared a secret smile, well, more like a teasing grin to be fair, in regard to their suddenly very shy sons. All three were amused by the antic of the children, but knew that they had to start the conversation if they didn't want to stand there all day.

"It's nice to see you again Tonks.", Harry said while looking at the currently bubble-gum haired witch, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Wotcher, Harry! Now this day isn't all about us, is it?", Tonks grinned widely and pushed her son forward so he stood in front of her.

Teddy's gaze was stuck at the floor, though he flicked up now and then to take a sneak peak at the other child in the room from behind his mother's back. Seeing that the younger boy was also behaving like himself, he felt could slowly, but surely relax. But when his mother pushed him forward, Teddy's presently blue colored hair shifted to a dark red as his cheeks gained a red shade.

"You're right, Tonks. Well, let me introduce you to my son, Naruto. Say hello buddy." Harry circled his left arm around Naruto's shoulder so they were standing next to each other.

Blushing bright red, Naruto awkwardly bowed and greeted their guests. "Hello, nice too meet you all."

"Awe, isn't he sweet!", Tonks burst out in delight while clapping her hands together. If possible, Naruto blushed even harder, not used to having females praising him in any way. "Now Teddy, don't be shy, say hello!"

Teddy braced himself for a moment before speaking. "Hi, thanks for letting us come."

"No, I'm glad you could come at all. Come let us sit down and talk for a bit." Harry gently steered his son to couch and somehow made Teddy sit next to him. Harry seated himself in the armchair and the couple sat down in the love-seat.

Harry immediately started to eagerly talk with Tonks, wanting to know how life was treating her, Remus peeping in with a comment or two when he could. As the adult became immersed in their own conversation, the two boys were left in silence, not really knowing what to say. Cautiously, they glanced at each other, not able to resist the temptation.

Naruto, never very good at keeping silent or liking it, unsurprisingly started to speak first. "So…", he began awkwardly trying to come up with something to say, preferably cool and funny.

"Yea… nice place you got here!", Teddy burst out the last in nervousness then blushed like mad. Could he have say anything more lame or what, now Naruto would think he was geek.

The two of them squinted at each other silently for several moments before abruptly exploding into uncontrolled laughter. They only stopped when they both were red-faced and out of breath.

The adults eyebrows were knitted together in confusion as they watched their sons before going back to their own conversation again, deciding they really didn't want to know. Harry though, threw his son a questioning look, but Naruto was too distracted to notice.

As soon as Teddy caught his breath to be able to speak normally again, he immediately turned to Naruto and whispered lowly, "So, do you like pranks?" The grin the boys shared would have the adults on edge in seconds, but fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, they were blissfully unaware of the impending doom in the form of two young boys who would soon be unleashed on the world or, in their case, themselves.

"Do you want go up to my room?", Naruto asked, with an equally quiet voice.

Teddy nodded eagerly, they couldn't, after all, plan anything with the adults sitting next to them. Already, he had several tricks and plans almost ready, they only needed to improve them slightly. He could barely wait, he hoped that he had found himself a fellow prankster in the other boy. It was quite boring to perform pranks by himself, there was no one to laugh with when a particularly good prank had been executed perfectly.

Naruto turned to his father and coughed loudly, trying to get his attention. His father immediately twisted his head in his direction.

"Dad, can Teddy and I go up to my room? I want to show some him how it looks.", he politely asked and looked expectantly to his father.

Harry smiled and nodded curtly. "Of course, son. Dinner will be five o'clock, if you forget I will come and get you two."

"Okay dad. See ya soon."

With that, both boys slipped onto the floor and sprinted for the stairs with Naruto in the lead, giggling and laughing as they went. The green-eyed wizard narrowed his eyes suspiciously for a moment before blanking his expression out. He knew his son well enough to know when something was up. But what it was, for the life of him he couldn't figure it out.

Shaking his head slowly, he turned around to face Remus and Tonks again. Both of them held a purely relived expression on their face.

"I am glad the boys had no problem in befriending each other. Perhaps they will become best friends one day after all." Remus smiled happily and squeezed his wife's hand tightly. Tonks looked similar satisfied, both very happy that their son possibly finally found a good friend.

Harry didn't have the heart to say that the boys were probably a match made in hell, rather than in heaven like they thought it was. Instead he smiled and nodded in agreement, offering at the same time a drink.

* * *

**There you have it, the eight chapter! I was quite fun to write this one and I had to rewrite it all the time because I got better ideas popping into my head on daily basis. So how did you like the short interaction between Teddy and Naruto? Were they to fast in becoming friends? What about the scene between Harry and Remus?**

**I listened to **_**Watercolour – Pendulum**_** when I wrote the scene with Harry and Remus, it gave me just the right mood. Just thought that I should write that down so other people can listen to it and perhaps it will help someone else when writing such an emotion filled scene. **

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

**I hope I get to see you in the next ninth chapter! Look forward to it!**

**Next chapter: **_A brother's love_

**Toddles…**

**~~Tigersissi~~**


	10. A brother's love

**Hello everyone!**

**Here you have chapter 9!**

**I am sorry for the long wait, but my computed crashed, along with the half-finished chapter, notes about the story and data I'd scraped together. To say it mildly, I had a breakdown, crying and shouting while nearly throwing the computer in the wall. After that I kind of collapsed, at least in my mind and couldn't write anymore. It took a month before I dragged myself to the computer again and forced myself to start writing again. It was like muddling my way through syrup or glue, not very fun.**

**If the chapter doesn't keep the standard at the other once then I can only apologize and promise to try harder on the next one. It was very hard to write this one, after being inactive for while I became a little rusty.**

**Damn, beginning to evolve to a pretty long rant but anyway. I have started university, joy, and that opened up a whole new can of things to do. Everything is new and it's confusing as hell. Though I love to write, my school stuff will be done first.**

**Just a warning, this chapter it totally unbeta'd, excuse me for any spelling or grammar mistake. I'm currently searching for a new Beta if anyone is interested.**

**Now finally I am finished this little rant of mine, enjoy the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Remember, if you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns!_

**Chapter 9**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously**_**: **__Harry didn't have the heart to say that the boys were probably a match in hell, rather than in heaven like they thought it was. Instead he smiled and nodded in agreement, offered at the same time a drink._

* * *

It was a late dark night, around midnight when Itachi arrived to the compound. As he sprinted forward, silent like a shadow, barely seen at all with his black Anbu outfit, he tried to suppress fresh memories that he'd acquired just a couple of weeks prior. The screams from his victims never left him, but he could suppress them until he could deal with it. Preferably alone somewhere in the forest, hidden by the large trees surrounding the village; there he could cry and rage without anyone seeing his moment of weakness.

After an undercover mission that lasted three long weeks in the Land of Snow, he was more than a little tired from the long journey back to the compound*. So when he arrived in the dead of the night, he'd simply snuck into the house directly through the window to his own room. He would greet his family in the morning and report to his father about the mission- as was customary when he was gone for a longer period of time. He didn´t particularly care that he would certainly get a strict scolding from his father for not informing him immediately.

It wasn't a check-up on his health that his father wanted- no, he wanted the report about the mission before the Hokage did, simply because he could. The Head of the Uchiha clan didn't hide the contempt he held for the Hokage and took every chance to rebel against him. He would never outright declare it, but the whole clan was aware of it anyway. The man even subtly bragged about Itachi to Sarutobi, how his son was a genius and obedient to his betters. In the same sentence mocking the Hokage about his own son who'd rebelled and fled the village to become one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, a group that protected the Land of Fire's daimyo.

Itachi had long ago given up on satisfying his father's desires, being his sire's personal and perfect weapon was something the young ninja couldn´t bear to be anymore. However, he still tried to pretend to be the perfect heir to the clan, and thus he was forced to do all kinds of horrible sins in the name of the Uchiha clan. When he'd graduated from the academy at the age of six he'd endeavoured to prove himself, to become someone his father could be proud of and appreciate.

It all changed when his little brother was born. Suddenly everything else seemed so meaningless in comparison to his dear Otouto. Sasuke was such a happy and cheerful child, always giggling and smiling at everyone. It almost melted his hardened heart and soul when he first laid his eyes on the babe, securely tucked in his mother's arms.

For a whole year until he celebrated his ninth birthday, his brother was his everything. Any moment he could spare he'd spend with his baby brother. For twelve months Itachi could ignore his father's disapproving stares when he failed at grasping a new jutsu at the first try, the harsh scolding he would receive when he couldn't perform perfectly to the last detail. And worst of all, the beatings he got when his father was incredibly angry at him or anyone else the village, usually the Hokage, which he got the brunt of.

A week after the celebration of Sasuke's first birthday, Itachi was unceremoniously called into his father's office. There was nothing unusual with it, he was frequently asked to report to his father but somehow Itachi got a foreboding feeling this time around.

After giving a curt nod to the messenger, a stern-faced classic male Uchiha in his early twenties who was more than likely a member of the Konoha Military Police, he set off towards his father's office. Unable to shake off the feeling of something not quite right, he steeled himself as he arrived at his destination. After a short burst of chakra to announce his arrival, he entered after receiving a barked permission for entry from what he recognized as his father's voice.

Itachi would later thank himself for listening to his instincts and prepared himself for bad news before entering. What he'd been asked- or rather been ordered- to do from his father, shock him to the core more than anything else that had been asked of him. Apparently the clan leader and the council thought that Itachi was becoming _weak_ and _soft _and the reason why…his beloved little brother. Fugaku curtly informed his eldest son to stop spending time with his brother and instead focus on his training to become the perfect heir and pride of the Uchiha clan.

Ice coursed through Itachi's veins at his father's voice. He was practically commanded to stay away from the only human being that he loved, the reason he still was reasonably sane and not falling apart. His brother, whom he cherished more than life itself, was someone Itachi never could give up on. For the first time in Itachi's short life, despite everything he had gone through, he felt pure and unadulterated hate towards another human being.

Fugaku had unknowingly created a monster with that command. An enemy to the Uchiha clan more vicious than anything he'd ever seen; a monster that would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Even at the age of nine, Itachi's mask hiding his emotions was perfect when the moment called for it. He still had slip-ups, but only when he felt particularly spiteful or happy. He was very thankful for that same mask before he even stepped into the office.

Itachi took the instructions and new rules in silence, betraying nothing of his feelings to his father. Itachi mentally cursed the man to eternal misery and death.

Promising himself to protect his brother from the shadows and spend time with the child when no one was around to watch, Itachi endured the whole meeting without his mask slipping even once. He fought hard against his chakra, it wanted to rage and destroy everything in sight.

The years slowly went by and Sasuke grew from a baby to a toddler and further to a young boy. Itachi used his cunning mind to get a moment or two alone with his brother when he could. When he couldn't be with the child he would watch over him from the shadows, especially whenever he ventured outside the Uchiha compound and into the village. The young child grew to love and idolize his elder brother- despite the small amount of time they spent together- and craved being with him.

It hurt Itachi to reject his brother whenever they would meet where other people were around. The young boy only wanted to spend time with his beloved sibling, but Itachi couldn't risk it. If any of the other Uchiha mentioned to his father that he was seen with his brother, then he was surely get punished and sent somewhere he couldn't even protect his Otouto from afar.

Despite his fiercely uttered promise to always love and care for his younger sibling, Itachi could feel himself going numb. The little time spent with Sasuke was no longer enough for his shattered soul. He felt like an outsider in his own body, just watching the events happening. At the age of twelve, Itachi had almost given up on getting revenge on his father and the Uchiha clan.

He simply couldn't care anymore, but small surges of affections for his brother still managed to seep through his deeply buried heart, telling him that he hadn´t become a emotionless weapon just yet. He clung tightly to his feelings for his brother, but without seeing any hope that could change his life, he begun to succumb to his father and the council's demands.

Then _he_ came, like an angel from the sky, similar to the tales his mother used to read to him when he was very small- before his father forbade it because it was making him _soft_.

He'd been four years old at the time.

He could almost imagine how he could´ve turned out if not for him, Potter Harry. He would have become cold and emotionless, the perfect weapon for the clan to use at their will. What scared Itachi the most was the thought about how his beloved brother would've fared without him. But now he had the motivation to continue, all because of the strange green-eyed man that happened to run into him on the roof top after a horrible day where he'd been beaten into the ground by his father. If he ever met the man again, Itachi swore he'd repay him for his deeds. The elder man really had no idea of just how much he had helped Itachi and the village that day.

The young but brilliant mind which had previously begun to gradually go insane because of the immense expectation and heavy duty from his family and clan was slowly beginning to mend itself. It became stronger, and was burning brighter than ever for revenge.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Konoha, a year later (after meeting Harry)**

Without warning, thirteen-year old Itachi was woken from his sleep, body remaining still from his training, feeling like he had only just closed his eyes before awakening. Momentarily confused by what had woken him up, he searched the room with his enhanced senses. With closed eyes he mimicked sleep, registering a slight shuffling and the sound of his door gently opening. Tensing his right hand on a kunai, he was ready to defend himself from what he knew was a remarkably weak and unskilled ninja. The sounds were loud enough to wake a skilled genin, at least. He relaxed as he recognized his little brother's chakra approaching.

Deciding to continue feigning sleep, Itachi anticipated whatever his Otouto was going to do. Itachi could easily hear his brother's venture through his room towards the bed. He briefly wondered how the younger boy knew he was home again when a loud gasp broke the relative silence. Unable to stay blind anymore the older boy opened his eyes and gazed at the star-stricken five years old who was incapable of remaining silent any longer.

"Nii-san! You're back!" Sasuke possibly squealed as he moved to pounce on his beloved elder brother.

Itachi caught the smaller boy with the practiced ease of long experience. Hugging the child closer he inhaled Sasuke's unique scent. The smell of jasmine and tree bark, probably from the tree-climbing that the boy had done, was something Itachi had become accustomed to and considered as coming home at last.

"God morning, Otouto." Itachi mumbled contently into the child's hair. He briefly tightened his arms around the boy before moving away to watch Sasuke's face. "I trust you have been well while I have been away?"

"Of course, Nii-san. I've missed you loads! You've been gone for a pretty long time. It isn't the same without you here." The child whispered the last as he gazed adoringly at the elder boy.

"I see. Nothing of significance has happened while I was away, I suppose?" Itachi asked more for something to say than wanting to know what his arrogant clan was up to. He'd read underneath his baby brother's words and knew that the child had once again feared that he would not get home alive. It happened every time he was away for more than two weeks. He couldn't really blame the child for worrying either, almost all his mission was A-ranked or higher. When a mission had a rank over B then the ninja couldn't disclose the information to a civilian without the Hokage's permission, thus he could say nothing to alleviate his brother's worry.

When the child got a pensive expression on his face, which he often acquired when he was upset or confused by something, Itachi's interest was piqued.

Sasuke twiddled with his hands and looked down for a moment before speaking. "I…ohm…I-I heard father speak with some of the older members of the council a couple of days ago. I didn't mean to spy or eavesdrop but I couldn't stop, I promise!" The child burst out and looked pleadingly at his older brother.

Itachi sighed as he stroked his otouto's hair off of his face. "You are not in any trouble from overhearing a conversation. They would have spoken in a different location should they have wanted it to be a secret. Now, what did you hear little brother?"

Sasuke now suitably guaranteed that he would not be punished for eavesdropping, quickly began to speak again. "Father was speaking about the Hokage, how he was turning really old and was no longer fit to rule. It made no sense to me because like everyone knows the Hokage is getting old. But anyways, one of the council members, I don't know what his name was again, informed father that the 'weapon' was still lost but everything was ready for it when it was found, and it could be unleashed immediately. It was only matter of time now. What is only matter of time Nii-san?"

Unknown to Sasuke, Itachi's mind was running at high speed. He had heard rumours that spoke no good of his clan, but to actually hear it from Sasuke confirmed them. From what he understood, the whole clan was in on the coup, except for him, the civilians and the younger children around Sasuke's age.

His clan was so full of pride that they couldn't see how they were tearing themselves apart. One of his Anbu squad leaders had once informed the rest of the team of what he thought about pride. Itachi knew that it had been directed towards him as an insult but he had listened anyway. '_Pride is tasteless, sizeless, and colorless but it's the hardest thing to swallow. Do not let pride stand in your way of surviving.'_

Itachi had now no doubt that his clan was up to something that spelled danger for the Hokage and probably for the rest of Konoha as well. But what could a thirteen-year old do against a whole clan of sharingan users? He may be unnaturally strong and smart, probably on par with his Anbu captain, but even he couldn't take on the whole clan alone. He really didn't want to fight them either. Despite hating the clan with every fiber of his soul, he couldn't hurt or kill innocent children. They had done nothing except be born into the clan.

He was dimly aware of the child in his lap still chattering about what he had been occupied with while Itachi had been gone. He nodded in the right places and made a noise in the back of his throat sometimes to agree with something Sasuke had said. In Itachi's mind a small war was taking place. '_Should he warn the Hokage about the possibility of treason from the Uchiha clan? Would the Hokage even believe him of telling the truth in the first place? Should he wait to gather more information before acting in any way?'_

All these questions and more flew around in his head making him hesitant to act. He was terrified of making the wrong decision. On one hand, he would betray his clan and family. On the other hand, he would betray his village and home. Either way he would have to turn his back on one of them; there was no neutral ground. There was only one thing he was hundred percent certain of and that was his beloved baby brother. No matter what, he would always protect and care for him. He had to figure out what was the right thing to do and guard his Otouto at the same time. Itachi could already feel the headache building.

It wasn't like he wanted to protect the clan in any way. He only loved Sasuke, but by disclosing the information about the coup to the Hokage he was condemning everyone in the clan to possible death. Itachi didn't know if he could be the bearer of death to the children and civilians in the clan who certainly weren't in the know from being considered the weak part of the clan.

Suddenly noticing the lack of chatter, Itachi turned his attention to his now silent brother. The elder boy was slightly startled to notice the calculating gaze his little brother was watching him with. He knew that his brother was smart, and while not a genius like himself, the child was probably the smartest kid in his age group at the very least. So when Sasuke spoke his thoughts, Itachi shouldn't have been that surprised.

"There's something wrong with the clan, isn't there nii-san?" The question was spoken in such a serious and mature tone that Itachi had to remind himself that it was his brother that was speaking to him, not an adult.

"I'm sure that is not . . ." Itachi trailed off as he contemplated the many possible options, leaving the sentence hanging, _'your concern' _left unsaid. He really didn't want Sasuke involved with clan politics, but did he have any choice in that regard? The thirteen-year old pondered informing his brother of the possibility of a scheduled coup against the village and Hokage. Could he really disclose the information to his innocent, beloved brother? How would his brother react? With hatred, surprise, denial, or protests? The child was still so young and innocent despite being remarkably clever. Would he even understand the consequences of siding with either of the two factions?

Would Sasuke understand that by siding with the clan he would ultimately betray the village and become a traitor to those outside the walls surrounding the compound? Or by siding with the Hokage and the village would make him a traitor by the clan, a turncoat to his own blood?

Deciding nothing could be done this late at night- or early morning, depending how you looked at it, Itachi choose to contemplate for a few days before making a decision.

"Otouto, you need to go to bed and get some sleep. I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the clan, you probably played it up more than necessary." Itachi tried to reassure his brother. He wasn't entirely sure if he succeeded or not.

Sasuke eyed him suspiciously, as if aware that Itachi was withholding information, but said nothing about it. "Okay" he said instead in a slightly sullen voice.

"Shall I bring you back to bed, Sasuke, and sit with you until you are back to sleep then?" The elder boy asked, giving the boy the chance to ask for his help, but the child silently stood beside his bed hesitantly, silently. "What is it, little brother?"

After a brief moment of hesitation the younger child seemed to gather courage before speaking up. "Can I sleep with you nii-san? Please!" The child pleaded with unbearable cute eyes, making Itachi give in immediately with a nod.

At the boy's happy expression Itachi gathered his precious little one into his arms and pulled him into a tight embrace. He settled the two of them onto the bed with his arms circled around the boy. Itachi could feel the breath of the younger one on his neck as he counted silently inside his own mind. The young ninja knew he would not get any more sleep tonight no matter how tired he still was. Sleeping with someone was always a struggle for him, especially on the missions which sometimes required them to sleep in small tents in pairs. More often than not, he would stay awake all night, though he was a master at hiding any sign of him being tired the morning after.

So one could imagine his surprise when he felt his eyes become heavy with sleep and his body relax more than it had done for over three weeks. No more than a few minutes later he was soundly asleep with his little brother tightly and securely cocooned in his arms.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi had been right about his earlier assumption of receiving a scolding from his father for not reporting immediately upon his arrival. Luckily, no beating took place, but a scheduled training session with his father was planned for right after lunch, which he wasn't looking forward to. Itachi had observed Sasuke with interest during his father's subtle scolding at the breakfast table, the child had narrowed his eyes and looked at the two older men with suspicion in his eyes.

Itachi knew his mother understood all the hidden threats in his father's words towards her eldest son, but Sasuke was still too young to sense the meaning underneath. He could not help but resent his mother deep inside his mind for not speaking up or defending him. Itachi quickly smashed the thought before it could fester, as he usually did when he started to think about how harsh his family treated him, excepting Sasuke. But it seemed the child was starting to open his eyes a bit to the world around him.

Many children only see what's in front of them, which often make them as innocent as sheep. Seldom do they tell lies or cheat, nor do they seek for hidden meanings in words, but apparently Sasuke had recently started to discover that the world wasn't such a happy place as he had previously thought. Itachi wondered what had happened to open his baby brother's eyes.

No, he took that back. If he knew, he'd probably do something illegal to seek revenge should any human have hurt his baby brother.

Refocusing on his father's rant, not that his father would ever admit to ranting, he managed to catch the final sentence the older Uchiha delivered with a deep frown on his face.

"Next time, remember to do as I say. Sleeping is no excuse for disobeying a direct order. Understood, Itachi?" Fugaku asked as he observed his eldest son with cold eyes. He was satisfied when the boy nodded in agreement, never noticing Itachi hadn't been listening at all.

"Honey," Mikoto, Itachi's mother gently cut in, a small smile on her lips. Obviously she was trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere and change the subject. "I heard from one of the council's wives yesterday that Danzo-san has come down with a severe illness. Apparently, his body is breaking down from the inside and the medics don't seem to be able to do anything for him. The rumors are spreading wildly though, probably from someone who has sold the information. It won't be long before the entire village knows about it. Do you think we should investigate this?"

Fugaku looked thoughtful for a moment before he skillfully masked his emotions. "Perhaps we should. The attacker could become a threat to the clan if he is allowed to roam free."

Mikoto nodded in agreement and began to suggest different plans with which to proceed. Meanwhile, Itachi decided to excuse himself from the table, and when he got a sharp nod of permission from his father he exited the kitchen. He swiftly made his way towards his room to take care of his dirty clothes. Almost all of them were covered in dirt and many of them in blood. It would take some time to get them clean again, blood was notoriously hard to get out of clothes. He of all people should know.

But before he reached his room he could hear soft tapping footsteps from behind him. He already knew that it was Sasuke who was following him. Sighing, he decided that his soiled clothes would have to wait for a few more hours. No way he would take them out and let his innocent brother lay his eyes on them, especially those that were covered in blood.

Deciding to be a little mischievous, Itachi pretended not to notice his brother approaching him.

Sure enough, when Sasuke detected that his brother didn't seem to be aware of him he tried to walk even more silently and carefully. Quickly and stealthy for a five-year old, he snuck upon his brother, intent on catching him off-guard of once. Deciding he was within reach, barely able to contain his giggle, he gathered some strength in his legs and prepared to jump. Just as he left the floor, hand out stretched towards his brother's back, did the older boy turn around. With excellent timing Itachi caught the child in his armpits, leaving the shocked boy hanging in the air.

Getting over his shock, Sasuke started to giggle slightly and then pouted cutely at being caught. Itachi sported a small amused smirk as he carried the child towards his room, all while the boy whined about being unfair or something similar.

"Nii-san! So unfair, it's like you have eyes in the back of your head, or something." Sasuke wiggled in his brother's grip. "I'm sure you're cheating somehow!" he'd burst out when he didn't get a reaction besides a wider smirk.

"Now, now, little brother. What kind of ninja would I be if I revealed my skills and secrets?" Itachi couldn't help but tease, the smirk on the older boy's face becoming, if possible, even wider.

The younger boy didn't dignify that with an answer, only pouted and looked away. Itachi let out a soft chuckle, quite amused by the child's reaction. Should he tell the boy that he'd looked quite similar to a chipmunk with his cheeks puffed up like that? Nah, the whining and following tantrum wouldn't be worth it.

Despite the awful morning, the rest of the day was spent- in Itachi's opinion- peacefully. Right after dinner, Itachi managed to sneak away with his brother to spend some time teaching him some basic taijutsu, Uchiha style of course. Sasuke, overjoyed by the prospect with spending time with his beloved elder brother and the opportunity to learn some "cool" moves, could barely stand still while the older Uchiha tried to instruct him how to stand correctly. The lesson lasted for three hours before Itachi called it for the day. The younger boy didn't even have the energy to protest as he was slung over Itachi's shoulders like a sack of potatoes.

Itachi spent the following week searching for information and spending quality time with his brother. He was slowly building up a good amount of solid facts that he could present to the Hokage, should the situation arise. Itachi wouldn't be assigned another mission for another week at the earliest because of the long and rather harsh mission he'd just recently finished. Something he was quite grateful for. He needed some time to gather his thoughts and really think through his options, which really wasn't that many but difficult to decide on anyway.

He knew he'd do the right thing in the end but what would it cost him? He needed to secure his brother's safety and health first above all else. Whatever would happen would not involve or affect Sasuke. He wouldn't suffer for what his foolish clan planned.

Itachi didn't care what transpired to himself but he knew that if anything happened to him Sasuke would be devastated. The ideal plan would be that they left the village and sent a message with a bird about the coup. In that way they would stay safe from the village's rage and be together at the same time. But where would they go? The Sharingan was a bloodline many other hidden villages envied and wanted for themselves. Many would also kill the Uchiha to obtain their eyes to expose their weaknesses. People who wanted the sharingan eyes for themselves were everywhere, even in Konoha, and Itachi couldn't risk the chance of any of the other villages obtaining the bloodline.

Even after two weeks, Itachi still hadn't figured out a plan yet. Had it only been himself on the run he'd certainly managed as a rouge ninja, but not with his baby brother at his side. He was very strong and clever despite his young age, but the dangers outside without the protection of a village were too great for him to deal with protecting his own life as well as his brother's.

No matter how much time he spent searching for a solution, none seemed to come to him. Itachi was highly frustrated with his lack of results and was becoming increasingly worried about what his clan was up to. In the last few days everyone seemed to be in an impossibly good mood while many looked smugly at each other from time to time, like they shared a great secret. Even Sasuke had remarked on it one night when the subject had come up in some way. It made Itachi twitchy and paranoid. If he was right, then his time was running out very fast.

What should he do?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi approached the Hokage's tower with heavy calculated steps. His face was set in a firm frown, making it look years older than he really was. In the pouch securely tied to his right leg was a scroll with every little bit of information Itachi had gathered written down and ready to be presented to the Hokage. He still didn't have a plan for himself or Sasuke, but he couldn't hold the evidence hidden any longer. He would just have to believe in his own abilities to protect Sasuke.

No matter what happened, his beloved brother would survive, stay healthy, and most importantly, stay safe. If anyone as much as touched a hair on his beloved brother's head they would receive…an unpleasant surprise.

For once, being the heir to the Uchiha clan come in handy as he was granted entrance immediately to the Hokage's office. The elder man greeted him with a gentle puff of his ever present pipe and a kind smile, a smile that Itachi didn't feel like he deserved. Especially now when the fate of hundreds of people rested on his shoulders, be they innocent or not. He felt rather sick when he let himself contemplate what would become of the clan or the village people if the clan's plans were made into reality.

Itachi felt a little surprised at his rather intense feelings towards the whole thing. He'd always stayed distanced to the horrible things he went through at every mission. His training with his father and countless other tutors saw to it that he lacked any feelings of pity or remorse for his targets. It didn't, however, remove the guilt of killing someone. It was pounded into his brain when he was a child that showing emotions was considered a weakness, one that could get you killed.

Itachi returned the silent greeting with a deep bow and then straightened his back to face the Hokage again. He stood like a soldier waiting for his orders.

"Ah, Itachi-kun. What is it that you want of me on this fine morning?" Sarutobi enquired with neutral look.

"Hokage-sama, I have come to disclosure information of vital importance." Itachi hesitated for a brief moment then continued. "This is information only for your ears, Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi's entire body language changed to a more serious one, showing a bit of the dangerous shinobi he still was despite his age. He measured the young man with a severe gaze for moment before giving a small nod. "I see. Give me a moment then, please."

The Hokage openly gestured for his Anbu guard to leave the room, knowing better then to try to hide it from the young boy standing before him. The child was a genius, after all, and already a member of Anbu. He then reached under his desk to active a couple of seals whose sole propose was to soundproof the entire room and destroy any spy devices, most likely owned by some in the council. It always amused the Hokage when he remembered that the fools honestly believed that he wasn't aware of them. As if.

"So, Itachi-kun, what information do you have for me?" The elderly man could clearly see the young boy's hesitation and that he appeared to be both confused and conflicted with himself. If not for the rather intense emotions the boy before him displayed, it was the fact that he could so easily read the Uchiha heir that set the Hokage on edge. Anything that could ruffle the young genius that much must be a very major and perhaps dangerous thing indeed.

After a few seconds of heavy silence, Itachi began to speak again. "Hokage-sama, as I am sure you have noticed, there have been several rumors concerning the Uchiha clan, which all have been started in the past couple years. Rumors about anger, jealousy, and most important, betrayal." The young ninja paused for a moment to let his Hokage absorb the rather revealing statement.

Itachi then continued in an emotionless voice after getting a grave nod from a stone-faced Hokage. "Just a year ago I started to notice things which caught my attention. Whispers about the Uzumaki child started, mostly about his sudden disappearance. My clan has neither openly hated nor supported him, instead, they rather pretended the child didn't exist, which is why it was strange for them to start speaking about him."

"I originally wondered if the clan had something to with the child's disappearance, but soon I noticed that many seemed agitated because of it. Obviously they had nothing to do with it. I subtly started to investigate and listened in on many interesting conversation, but none of which I could use as any proof of my suspicions. Outside of my own training and mission little time could I use to collect information but what I did gather was enough for me to come to inform you, Hokage-sama. To inform you about the possibility of betrayal by the Uchiha clan's towards you and the village." Itachi finished quietly, his piercing gaze focused on the other, waiting for a reaction of any kind.

As expected of the Hokage, he showed almost no reaction outwards but on the inside it was rather different. Of course he wasn't blind nor deaf towards the countless rumors circling the Uchiha clan. He'd even sent his own spies to check it out, but nothing had come of it. It was almost impossible for outsiders to infiltrate the clan, only another Uchiha could, which clearly spoke for itself. The majority was only loyal to the clan, few sought careers that led them outside the Uchiha walls, except for the ninja. Very few of those who choose the shinobi career entered Anbu, Hunter, or Torture and Interrogation squads. Most were satisfied with being members of the Military Police Corps.

Then there was Itachi, genius and the Uchiha heir, so different yet so alike the rest of the clan. Itachi was the pinnacle of the Uchiha ninja, the one who everyone looked up to and feared at the same time. Cold and emotionless on the outside, yet warm and loving on the inside. He was a therapist's walking dream case. But what made Itachi stand out from the Uchiha clan was his love for the village and his brother. Itachi was someone the Hokage could trust with his life, and he did. Which was the reason he took the young man's words so seriously.

If Itachi said the clan was prepared to betray him and the village, then Sarutobi trusted him to speak the truth.

"Do you have any proof at all, Itachi?" He murmured with a downcast gaze, eyes fastened on a paper pertaining about a new law, something about forbidding to sell a book, _Icha Icha_, a book one of his old students wrote, he noted with disinterest.

"No, I have no concrete evidence. I feel I won't be able to gather any at the moment either. Despite the rather obvious talk about it, other proof would be hard to collect." Itachi spoke honestly. "I fear what the village will become if the plan was set in motion. It's also my belief that the Uzumaki child is somehow in danger from my clan. I believe they want to use him as a weapon of some kind."

"As the child's location is unknown, he will be safe for the moment. If he is still alive that is. If I may ask, Hokage-sama, do you know where the child is?" Itachi asked, a little hesitant. Almost everyone important in the villages knew of the feelings the Hokage held for the child, Itachi included. If the child was indeed gone, then he would rouse painful emotions in the elder man.

He'd perhaps expected a solemn or even sad expression to pass on the Hokage's face. He certainly didn't expect the leader of the Konoha to suddenly sport a small, undeniably mischievous, smile and a twinkle blink in his eyes.

"Ah, you do not have to worry about the child, Itachi. He is safe and certainly out of reach for anyone in Konoha." Sarutobi said, puffing on his pipe a few times. "I know that you realize what this will result in. You did a brave and loyal thing to bring this to my attention. You will be rewarded for your work. If you-"

Itachi interrupted abruptly before the Hokage could continue. "Hokage-sama, the only thing I wish for is the guarantee for safety for me and my brother. My brother is innocent and I do not want him involved."

Sarutobi blinked in surprise before letting a soft smile drift onto his face. "Fair enough," the elder man conceded. "When the time comes I will do my best to protect you and your brother."

Itachi smiled for the first time since the conversation started. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. I appreciate it."

The elder man only smiled in response. He was happy that Itachi had someone he loved and cared for. He'd once met young Sasuke when the child only was a couple of years old. It had been refreshing to see such a lively and happy child despite the cold environment he'd been raised in.

"You do realize that I won't be able to act immediately on this information alone? I'd also prefer that neither you or young Sasuke can be connected to whatever will happen. This is, of course, to protect the two of you." Sarutobi said a thoughtful expression on his face.

Itachi nodded gravely. As he still hadn't figured out how he would be able to keep himself and his brother out of it and safe, he'd have to trust his Hokage to solve it. At least until he came up with a plan of his own.

The two of them discussed further on the subject, delving further into the information Itachi had collected. Nothing was decided, but Itachi had done all he could do at the time. After an hour they broke up, mostly because the Hokage had several meeting he needed to attend to.

Before Itachi could reach the door and exit the office, the Hokage offered one last piece of advice and warning.

"You know what happens to traitors, Itachi. It would be for the best if neither you and Sasuke are snywhere near Konoha when the time comes."

Itachi shivered slightly at the ominous tone before exiting the room, without looking back even once.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Konoha, a year and four months (after meeting Harry)**

Four months had now gone by since Itachi informed the Hokage. He felt constantly on guard, even more so when around his brother, his protective emotions going on red alert. Itachi frequently came up with new plans to protect his brother and himself but as fast as the ideas came to him, was as fast he discarded them.

In the meantime the atmosphere had become almost unbearable within the Uchiha clan. It felt like everyone was waiting for something to happen and when it didn't, it made them anxious and nervous.

Courtesy of the Hokage, Itachi had only gotten short missions which rarely took him outside the borders of the Fire country. Because of this, Itachi spent more time in the village and especially in the Uchiha compound. It gave him more time to spy and glean important information which was what they sorely needed.

It was also becoming clear that Fugaku was eyeing Itachi suspiciously from time to time, but the younger Uchiha couldn't say why. Itachi was an expert at spying and didn't think that his father knew what he was doing. Sure, his father was a top-notch shinobi, but that was several years ago, before he took up the mantel as the Head of the Uchiha clan. Even if he trained his skills to prevent them from becoming rusty, the lack of mission affected his instinct and ability to react to the situation. Simply said, Fugaku was not as good as he was in his youth.

Still, Itachi tried to become even more cautious, it wouldn't do if his father figured out what he was doing after all.

Then there was the matter with his brother. How did he prepare his young brother for what was coming? Would Sasuke see Itachi's actions as a betrayal to himself and the clan? After all, in some way or another, the child would lose his family, his mother and father, because his own brother had tattled on them.

So Itachi started an agonizing slow revealing act, dropping hints here and there, intentionally slippinginformation about the coup and other things to make the child open his eyes to what was happening. In the two first months it seemed that Sasuke was oblivious to it all, but as Itachi continued, he noticed that Sasuke began to pause at times when he'd deliberately slipped. Itachi hoped his brother was starting to understand or at least noticed Itachi's strange behavior, because their time was running short.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was a bright and early morning with chirping birds in the trees, when something changed in the Uchiha clan. Itachi noticed it immediately when he came home around midday from a mission. The anxious and nervous atmosphere that had settled like a dark cloud over the clan from before had mysteriously disappeared. Instead could Itachi see cheerfully and celebrating peoples everywhere, both civilians and shinobi. Only the younger generation seemed to be confused by the sudden change, but didn't question it, too happy that everyone seemed to be cheerful and the gloomy atmosphere from before gone.

It made Itachi's nerves and guard raise itself like a cat's fur and tail ready to attack. His first instinct was to inform the Hokage, but it would look strange if he immediately left as he'd just arrived home from his mission. Just as he was about to panic, reason slammed into him. What was he afraid of? He and Hokage had gone through every possible situation they could think of. Itachi took a deep breath and at the same masterfully controlled his emotions to calm down and begun to think rationally.

Whatever would happen, his brother would be safe. He'd put his life on the line to protect him. He always would. Now, he'd somehow needed to figure out how to obtain the new information which caused everyone to change. He was certain it couldn't be any good.

He arrived at the house, greeted his parents with a bow and then escaped into his room. He began packing all necessary things for a trip outside the village, but this time packing for much more than he used too. When he'd filled two large backpacks with clothes, weapons and other important objects he sealed them into a scroll. Next he snuck into his brother's room, packed everything that was useful and most of the boy's clothes, and sealed all of it into another scroll.

Itachi had a feeling that something would happen, and soon. He refused to be taken of guard, so he tried to prepare for everything he could think of. Deeming that he'd stayed enough time inside the Uchiha residence without seeming suspicious if he was seen leaving the house, he silently and carefully exited the house through his room's window.

The window had a view of the forest with no other houses between. It was perfect for him when he needed to slip away for a while without anyone seeing him. He wondered what his father would say if he knew that his own son used the window like a common thief in the night. Itachi snorted faintly at his thoughts as he turned and went to the window, pushing it wide open.

It didn't take long before he arrived to the Hokage's tower. He decided to take the fast way in, meaning he jumped and ran up the outer wall that turned against the mountain, making the shadow cling to it. It was very useful for any ninja wanting to be discreet when wanting to talk or report to the Hokage. Reaching the window the office, Itachi flared his chakra in a complicated manner, one only Anbu learned to do. When he sensed a flare of chakra from his Hokage in response, he opened and entered the window.

After politely and respectfully greeting his leader, Itachi got the Hokage up-to-date of the recent development in the Uchiha clan. The elder man was understandingly concerned and worried about the change. He promised to speed up the strategies and plans which he and several other high ranking shinobi had created. Because the Uchiha clan was involved only those in high positions and a select few could know what was happening. If it leaked out to the public, the Hokage didn't even want to consider the chaos that would ensue.

"Itachi, perhaps it's time for you and Sasuke to leave the village for a while. I would've liked to send the both of you immediately but I fear it will raise too much attention, considering that you just recently came home from a mission." Sarutobi said.

"I understand, Hokage-sama." Itachi agreed, a blank mask on his face, covering any emotions he felt.

"I want you to go back home and prepare your brother. You have my permission to tell young Sasuke the truth if you feel that he can handle it. No matter what transpires, Itachi, know that I am behind you." Sarutobi spoke with compassion in his voice, sad that young children such as Itachi and Sasuke should suffer for the acts of the adults.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Itachi saluted then departed from the office. He planned on confronting his brother before anything else. The child needed to be told, Itachi only hoped that Sasuke could take it.

Arriving five minutes later at the house, Itachi immediately searched for his brother. He found him in the library reading a book about _How-To-Build-Your-Own-Traps_. Sasuke looked up when he heard the door opening and smiled when he spotted his brother.

"Nii-san! You're home!" The five-year old squealed with happy, shining eyes.

"Otouto." Itachi murmured in response, a slight almost unnoticed smile on his lips that disappeared as he continued. "I have something I need to tell you."

"What is it, nii-san?" Sasuke asked, feeling something wasn't right with his brother, but unable to put his finger on what it was.

"Not here. Come, we will talk in another location." Itachi said while guiding his brother out of the library and through the rest of the house. He continued outside and into the forest, the perfect place for a private talk where no one could spy them, at least not without Itachi knowing.

Itachi stopped when he arrived to a secluded clearing, surrounded by the large, overgrown trees Konoha was especially famous for. He knew from experience that no one came here because he used the same very spot when he wanted to practice his more devastating and dangerous techniques in secret.

He turned to face his brother once again, pondering how he should break the news, gently or bluntly? Was there even a gentle way of doing it? _'Probably not',_ Itachi thought with a sad sigh. _'Why me?' _he whined inwards, not that he would never admit whining to anyone, he would rather dig his own grave.

By now Sasuke had started to look at him with odd expression, probably wondering why he hadn't said anything in five minutes of just standing there. Taking a deep breath and gathering courage he didn't knew he had Itachi finally spoke.

"Sasuke, I-," Itachi began hesitatingly, in a voice very unlike his normal confident and strong one. "Our family, mother and father, they-, the clan is planning to betray the Hokage, right now, at this moment.

* * *

**Oh, a cliffhanger, naughty little me! But seriously, I had to quit writing sometime this century. It just went on and on! And honestly, I felt like that you people have waited a long enough for this chapter, it just didn't feel right if I prolonged it anymore. So there you have it, the ninth chapter!**

***Please notice that Itachi all the times refer his home as 'the house'. He has no love for his family, except for Sasuke of course, and don´t consider the house his family lives in as his home. Mostly from the moment his father had ordered him to stay away from his baby brother.**

**So what do you think of Itachi and Sasuke? Hard to get them into their right character, but I think I did a pretty good job. Oh, and a there was even a little about Danzo, perhaps there will be a little about him in the next chapter, who knows?**

**Well that's for this time! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter despite the lack of Harry and Naruto, I missed them anyway! We will probably not see them before chapter 11 or so.**

**Next chapter: **_Escape_

Seeya'

Tigersissi


	11. Escape

**Hello everyone!**

**I proudly present the 10 chapter!**

**I am so sorry for taking so long time to write this chapter. I lost my inspiration and didn't know what to write for a while. Thank you for every review I have gotten, not even one of them has been a mean one! I love even the reviews were it only says to update faster or something alike. I will try to update faster next time as the summer vacation is around the corner but who knows what happens.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Rom wasn't built in one day, not two days either._

**Chapter 10**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously**_**:**__"Sasuke, I-," Itachi began hesitatingly, in a voice very unlike his normal confident and strong one. "Our family, mother and father, they-, the clan is planning to betray the Hokage, right now, at this moment._

* * *

Inside the largest house in the Uchiha compound waited nearly the whole clan, both those who were born and married into the clan. Only those who were too young and too weak, namely the civilians, were missing from the gathering and of course those who were out on missions, or to be precise, Itachi. No one spoke to each other, the hushed silence making everyone tense and wary despite knowing why they had assembled.

After planning and enduring being controlled by the current Hokage and those previously, finally they were striking back. No longer would they only be a clan in the village, no longer would they be a subject under the Hokage to serve and obey, instead they would rule the whole village themselves.

They would be revered as most powerful clan in history and they would rule the village with an iron fist to prevent any rebelling or protest. The current head of the clan and those before him had all planned on taking over, but were always hindered by either war or something else.

When the fourth Hokage had been chosen instead of another powerful shinobi it had caused a well-planned plan to fall apart. Fugaku had at that time been disappointed to be forced to abandon yet another plan but he also saw things in a new perspective. The new, _youngest ever_, Hokage was a novice, a boy in his standard. The young man was certainly not fit to be the fourth Hokage according to Fugaku. _But_ it also made the young man, no _boy_, more easily manipulated and perhaps it could be turned in the Uchiha clan benefit.

One could imagine Fugaku's surprise and wrath when he discovered that the young Hokage not only saw through all his plots and strategies but gave him a dressing down for being an '_impudent arsehole'_ and a '_stubborn donkey' _in front of the _whole_ council. The Head of the Uchiha clan had never been so humiliated or livid in his entire life. Still smarting from earlier he swore to avenge his battered pride and destroy the Hokage once and for all.

In his madness and anger Fugaku took contact with a nukenin from Konoha, a person who had been banished from the village. Well the man hadn't been exactly banished but chased out of the village but had he remained he'd been executed for treason. Even Fugaku was wary of contacting this person because of his ill doings but _desperate times called for desperate measures_. Then after planning for a couple of years with none other knowing of his secrets meetings with the other man, the plan was finally coming to bear the fruits of their labor.

Then, the Kyuubi came and with that monster dozens of deaths.

Even Fugaku had to admire the sheer genius and power of the young Hokage, though highly reluctantly. The absurd power it was needed to seal the monster and the intellect one needed to possess too be able to create something that could, it was mind boggling. It also made Fugaku respect the now late Hokage somewhat more. Perhaps the man had deserved the position as the Hokage after all, though it was mote point to think about now.

In the aftermath of the disaster all strategies to take over was laid on the shelf for the time being. Even if it was the perfect time to make the village submit to his rule, he hadn't the ninja's or time to do it. Many in his clan had died and many more were injured, everywhere there was chaos. Houses destroyed, there was food shortage, dead corpses littered the streets and they had a dead Hokage on their hands. If the other villages got a sniff about their situation they would need all men and women they had left to defend the village. To create a civil war in the middle of this would be like opening up their arms to the other hidden villages to attack them.

Then slowly but surely the village was brought back to its former glory. Perhaps not as grand as before, the fourth Hokage was dead after all but with the third Hokage back they managed. Around a year after the earth-shattering incident an ominous rumor about a boy with the Kyuubi sealed inside begun to circulate the village. Only those who were present when the Third Hokage announced the baby boy as the jailor of the Kyuubi knew from the beginning. The chaos created after the Fourth Hokage's death had made many forgotten it in their grief, both for their beloved Hokage and the death of beloved ones.

But now when the dust had simmered to the ground and people were left to think in peace again, many hungered after revenge and bloodshed. They never stopped to realize that the monster was sealed inside a one-year old child who were innocent and had nothing to do with the attack at all. All they saw was the monster who had killed their loved ones.

In the mist of it all, Fugaku began to create new strategies again. His thoughts had been so focused on revenge and to take over the village before the Kyuubi incident that he severely neglected his first-born son, the only interaction they had was when he trained the boy but those times were far and between. Now, to populate the clan, because so many had died, Fugaku decided to create another child to help rebuild. He didn't really care either way, but after the child was born he realized that his eldest son was getting sentimental and weak because of the newborn child. Deciding that it was time he really started seriously instructing the child to become the next Head of the Uchiha clan, he separated the siblings and started to brutally train his heir.

His eldest son was to his pride a prodigy and with a little training on the way to become the perfect weapon. With the agreement from the Uchiha council Fugaku begun to demand more A-ranked missions and later S-ranked missions for his heir to take. It didn't take long before his son, Itachi, was conducted it into the Anbu, which helped the Uchiha prestige as the strongest warriors in Konoha.

After several meetings with his contact Fugaku felt that he finally would rule over the village. The plans were in the last stages and were soon done. And the only thing his contact wanted for helping him were a young Uchiha child and the Kyuubi brat. While hesitating to give away one of his own clan he had no problem in giving away the monster. Fugaku had hesitated only for a brief time about sacrificing an Uchiha member but eventually decided that it was worth it in the end.

Then he discovered that the Kyuubi brat was gone, had in fact disappeared months ago. What made him even angrier was why no one had reported it to him. He'd made it clear that he'd plans for the monster to the whole clan and that it was important that they didn't kill it and kept watch over the boy so he was in an easy reach when the time came. Scrabbling to come up with how he would announce it to his contact Fugaku knew that he'd better come up with something good.

Determining that he didn't have any choice he decided to give the man his youngest child, Sasuke, who soon would celebrate his fifth birthday. Accordingly to Fugaku the child was a disappointment anyway. When Itachi was the same age he'd already started showing signs of being a genius, which Sasuke in comparison certainly didn't. Still, he couldn't openly give the child away, his wife would most certainly say no, if not outright object and become a nuisance which he didn't want now when his plans were coming into reality. Only in the deepest depth in his mind was Itachi's reaction given any thought, he firmly believed otherwise that his heir was under his control.

He would never find out that if Itachi had ever found out that particular piece of information nothing would have stopped the young genius from murdering his own father in cold blood.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Stepping into the room in a position where all the people in the room could see him, Fugaku gazed with a proud and gleeful expression at them. The room which had been rather quiet before become even more silence, the audience holding their breath, waiting for their leader to speak.

"The time is here at last. The current Hokage is weak of age and is no longer fit to rule over Konoha. Never again will we be serving another, instead we will rule and no one will be able to defeat us. We are the villages pride and the strongest, let's us show them our power and make then submit to us!" Fugaku spoke loudly while spreading his hands dramatically.

The Uchiha clan members cheered loudly and applauded with their hands. The mood in the room reflected on the clan members. They all had excited and hopeful expression while they observed their leader with eager eyes.

No one noticed that one in their mist only half-heartily cheered along. The young man frowned subtly and gazed at the floor as he disappeared in his thoughts. Partly peering up at his clan and his clan head he seemed to come to a decision. Using his skills he begun to disappear from the room only too freeze a second later as he felt an ominous chakra fill the room. Turning his gaze to where the Head of the clan stood he noticed a stranger had joined and calmly watched the now quiet crowd, it looked like none of the other's had noticed the man before he'd unleashed his chakra.

A low buzz of whispering begun to spread rapidly through the room, apparently the rest of the clan were a bit unsure about the stranger as well.

The stranger wore a long hooded black coat that did a good job at hiding the man's features. Dread filled the young Uchiha for some reason, his instincts telling him that this man was perhaps the most dangerous man he'd ever met. Suddenly a he felt the urge to run and hide, was this man the Uchiha head had contact with? Was this the man who was supposed to help them to take over Konoha? Feeling surer than ever that the clan was insane and someone needed to stop them the young Uchiha prepared himself to escape from the room. Apparently something must have showed on his face because before he could do anything he felt a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Shisui? Is something wrong?" was whispered into his ear and caused Shisui glance backwards.

The speaker was a middle aged man, Uchiha Hiko, or otherwise known as Shisui's father. Shisui thought fast for a moment, complementing telling his father about his thoughts because he knew that Hiko wasn't that fond of Fugaku and were the most trustworthy person he knew, except for Itachi. Shisui loved his father with his whole heart, Hiko had supported him in anything he wanted to do. Had he said he didn't want to be a ninja, Shisui was sure his father would have stood at his side anyway. But could he expose his beloved father for such danger he was planning on jumping into?

"Dad, who is that man?" Shisui whispered back finally, searching eye contact with the elder man. He felt an answering squeeze on his shoulder, which silently told him that his father would tell him later on. Shisui could only nod in answer and turn back to watch the stranger and the Uchiha head again.

Fugaku had begun speaking again and was now explaining his strategy for his fellow clansmen. While majority of the gathered crowd thought his first plan was excellent and sure to work, a small percent was hesitant to lay their life in the hand of their clan leader. Now when he told them of the new plan many more begun to doubt, though if that was because they thought the plan wouldn't work or they felt sorry for the innocent people which would either die or be hurt were unknown. While Shisui didn't care for the village people of Konoha he still didn't want them any harm and therefore thought the plan to be unreasonable cruel and brutal.

The first plan was to use the Kyuubi brat, by hurting the child to the point of near death they would somehow release the monster and then they would be the only ones to control the beast. Last time the Kyuubi came they had been unprepared but now they'd had years to study and train. By reading scrolls written from their ancestor, Madara, they had discovered the technique to control the monster, though it required the user to have the Mangekyō Sharingan, which none of the current clan members had.

They had just found out how to obtain it when the Kyuubi brat disappeared. None in the clan except Fugaku knew the whole plan, but everyone was aware of the involvement of the Kyuubi child so when the brat disappeared none had the courage to say anything despite knowing how angry the their leader would become.

The clan members only knew the barest of bones of the new plan that the head of the Uchiha and the powerful stranger had come up with. Many of them, as Shisui, were wary of the nukenin. None of the people in the room were unaware of the darker side of the ninja life-style and few of them had a problem with it but something about the stranger made they feel on edge. The man's, at least they thought it was a man, chakra was so dark, almost twisted, which made them shiver at the mere present of the nukenin. Something was clearly wrong with the man and it made them distrust him immediately.

When the new plan was explained it only cemented their thoughts and they began to doubt their head of the clan even more. They may be a member of the Uchiha clan but they also considered Konoha and her people as home, they knew that this new plan could destroy the whole village.

When the meeting was over no one noticed when one young ninja slipped away, lost in their own thoughts, and swiftly exited the Uchiha compound.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**At the same time as the meeting…**

*********Flashback*********

"_Sasuke, I-," Itachi began hesitatingly, in a voice very unlike his normal confident and strong one. "Our family, mother and father, they-, the clan is planning to betray the Hokage, right now, at this moment._

*******End of flashback*******

The silence that followed Itachi's words was nerve-wrecking for the thirteen, soon fourteen year old ninja. The atmosphere around in the forest was nothing short of tense and uneasy. Sasuke stared at his elder brother with a blank expression, either in shock or hiding his emotion. Itachi guessed on the first as his brother was hopeless in hiding his emotions, he wore them in his sleeves and Itachi actually didn't want his brother to learn how to put a mask on his face. Sasuke deserved to have a relative normal and peaceful childhood. Then a sound penetrated his thoughts.

Sasuke keened out a pained sound then looked up at his brother with desperate eyes instead of the previous blank ones. "Niisan..? Why-," he swallowed and visibly forced down his panic. "Why would they do that?" he whispered at last.

The question left Itachi stumped and unable to come up with something to say. He had expected denial or even to be laughed at, not an question about why. To give himself a little more time to think, he sat down on his knees so he was on an equal level with his brother. Slowly he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and gazed calmly into the child's eyes.

"To answer your question Sasuke, you need to know a bit of our history, the Uchihas history. Do you know who's the most famous of the Uchiha in history?"

Sasuke nodded a confused frown apparent on his face and answered with a matter-of-factly tone. "Uchiha Madara."

"That's correct, little brother. He was the one who made the deal with the first Hokage and formed Konoha, the hidden village in the leaf. The village prospered for some time, but even though at the time there was no hint of war against the other countries, it was still not peacefully in the village. Uchiha Madara wanted to be the leader for the new formed village even though they had already decided to appoint Senju Hashirama as the first Hokage. The rest of the village people who had joined all agreed that Hashirama would make an excellent leader."

"While Madara didn't make a move against Hashirama immediately didn't mean he stopped planned to take over. The rest of the Uchiha at that time was happy to have a stable place to call home and resisted every attempt made by Madara and stated clearly that he had to stop or risk being removed from his position no matter how strong he was. While Madara had a strong position as the head of the clan and was notably the strongest, the council had combined more power than he, it's still so today. So Madara bided his time, he trained and became stronger after every year went by."

Itachi paused to concentrate on his brother. Despite the serious situation and the bomb he just released on the child, Sasuke still was spell-bound by his brother's storytelling, trusting his brother in spite of everything. Itachi couldn't help but smile faintly at his brother, feeling at the same time that it was a long time ago he smiled a smile that wasn't forced but honest instead at someone. Taking a deep breathe Itachi continued the story turned into a history lesson, now noticeably darker theme.

"Madara finally felt ready when the village had existed for about twenty years, no one knows exactly, and attacked the first Hokage in a dual about the leadership. History says that it was a spectacular fight, a fight between two enormous powerful men. Madara was risking losing the fight when he became desperate enough call for the Kyuubi and controlled the beast through his evolved Sharingan, though according to Madara's own writing in a journal he hadn't been planning to reveal he could control the beast to anyone. But despite the kitsune Madara lost horribly when Hashirama exposed that he too could also control Kyuubi through his own bloodline, which made him able to control wood."

"Madara was believed dead after the fight. No one saw him die though, because he fled the scene but the injuries he obtained in the fight were very grave and serious. It had only been Madara who wanted to take over but the damage had already been done. The whole village became suspicious of the clan and it took many, many years for it to let up, though it never disappeared completely."

Tears had begun to gather in Sasuke eyes has he finally understood what had driven his clan. He had always known that his clan was bitter against the Hokage but he hadn't known why. He never would have guessed that it was the fault of one their own who had caused the suspiciousness aimed at his clan. Sasuke continued to stay quiet and listened to his beloved brother who he thought and knew loved him despite not being able to spend much time with him.

"Then now, just a few years ago, the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. Many good Shinobi and civilians died but more importantly the fourth Hokage died. He sacrificed himself to kill the beast. There was chaos in the whole village and of course people blamed rightly the Kyuubi for it but someone remembered that the Uchiha clan could somehow control the beast and had done so in the past. Naturally new rumors started against our clan and the situation became once again tense."

"The Sandaime's hands were tied in the matter as he couldn't control what the population thought. The Hokage tried to make it up with our clan but our father apparently refused any help. Why I don't know but I can only assume that the plans to take over Konoha had already made, possibly even before the Kyuubi came. I won't tell you the plans, they are meaningless now anyway." Itachi finished and coughed because of his suddenly dry throat.

"Nii-san, why are the plans useless now?" Sasuke asked lowly, a noticeably slump of his shoulder that weren't there before.

Itachi hesitated before answering, he hoped his beloved brother would forgive him for what he had done. "Sasuke, you must realize, what our clan planned to do, would not only make us traitors towards the whole fire nation, but to Konoha as well. I had to do it, I searched for other options for months, almost a year I swear Sasuke! I tried my best to stop them but I failed. I…I had to tell the Hokage."

The atmosphere was so tense that Itachi could easily imagine cutting it with a knife. Sasuke stared at him wide-eyed for a moment before his knees gave after and he crumbled to the ground.

Forcing out a whispering question, Sasuke silently began to cry. "How- what are going to happen to the others, what's going to happen to mother and father?"

Feeling desperate Itachi took the quietly crying child into his arms, he buried his head in his brother's hair, taking a deep breath of his unique scent. "I am sorry Sasuke, I am so sorry." Itachi whispered back in a strained tone, trying to keep his voice in check.

Itachi rocked the child back and forth, murmuring meaningless words in an effort to comfort his brother.

Meanwhile Itachi spoke to Sasuke, Shisui raced through the Uchiha compound and searched desperately after his chosen little brother, namely Itachi. Shisui was terrified that Itachi or Sasuke was to be given to the stranger as payment for his help. He wasn't stupid or gullible as many thought him to be, Shisui knew that the stranger wouldn't help them without getting some kind of payment in return and he feared that it would be his loved ones.

He knew that if the last plan had worked then the stranger would have received the Kyuubi brat but now when that wasn't possible Shisui was positive Fugaku was ready give away one of his sons to secure backup and support from the stranger. If the last plan had disgusted Shisui then the new one made him possible nauseous. The plan was to sneak in the stranger's 'friends' into the village then use them to attack the Hokage. Shisui had no doubt that the stranger's companions was ruthless and brutal and they would spare no one, from civilians and shinobi alike that got in their way, by accident or not.

Suddenly he felt Itachi's chakra, it was faint, if he hadn't known the younger ninja's chakra signature so well he would have missed it. When he followed the trail into the forest he sensed yet another chakra signature, this one he recognized as young Sasuke's. He wondered what they were doing in the forest before quickly discarding the thought and concentrated on finding the two of them.

Shisui arrived into the clearing to see the two younger boys kneeing on the grass with the younger of them crying obviously. Just as he stepped into sight of the others Itachi turned sharply around using his body to protect his brother.

"Calm down, it's just me, Shisui!" Exclaimed Shisui quickly with his hands in the air to show he didn't have a weapon, though in truth that mattered little for a shinobi if he intended to assassinate his target. He quickly observed the situation and suddenly knew that something had happened and it had probably involved the clan. Before Itachi, who was paling rapidly and could think of nothing coherent to say, could do anything, Shisui continued. "I am not here to harm anyone. I am here to warn you in fact, but I think you already know a fair bit if I guess correctly."

Itachi swallowed hard and he could feel every single pound of his heart painfully against his ribs as he watched Shisui, his head tilted just enough to look at the other man from under his bangs. He loved Shisui like he was his own brother, Itachi really didn't want to hurt him. He remained silent and reached subtly for a kunai just in case he needed to defend himself and his baby brother.

The conversation was obviously one-sided, but that didn't deter Shisui in the slightest, rather he expected it to be so until he declared his loyalty. Instead he slowly sank his body, sliding down against a nearby tree until his rump hit the ground with a thud. He sighed, looking at the sky with uncertainty for a moment. His position said clearly that he had no intentions to fight and only wanted to talk. From his half-closed eyelid he could see Itachi relax slightly and put the kunai away to wherever he took it from. Shisui sighed in relief, glad that Itachi had understood and trusted him enough to give him a chance at least.

"Right, I suppose I should tell you why I searched after you. Well, where to start? You know I love the clan Itachi, I always have and probably always will. But after I was informed of the coup against the Hokage I started to doubt the clan's intentions. If we wanted to take over Konoha because they wanted to make things better or we thought that the Hokage was doing a rotten job or had done something terribly wrong then maybe I could understand why they wanted to. Though after listening to the others, mainly the council and Fugaku-sama, then I doubt it were for any of those reasons. Instead I found out that the clan only wants to rule over Konoha because they are selfish and greedy."

Shisui panted for a second then took a new breath of air to continue.

"I admit, I panicked at first about what I should do. I mean, for me to go against the clan is to betray my very belief and life, literally spoken. If I did go against the clan, what was I supposed to do afterwards? I would've no home left, my loved ones killed and I would be seen as the man who betrayed his own flesh and blood, his own family. But then I realized that you weren't in the plan, meaning that the council or your father didn't trust you enough to not go to the Hokage. Before however I could do anything the Kyuubi brat disappeared and destroyed the plan and now- I can't believe what's being planned. I mean the last plan was crazy as well, but this one, it's beyond my every imagination and that is not a good thing. I made me act, and Itachi, I choose you against the clan because I love you as my beloved brother. You mean so much to me and I know, though you try to hide it, that you love Sasuke more than your own life. Therefore, I promise you on my honor, that I will help you in any way I can."

Shisui fell silent and breathed harshly for a moment before regaining his breath back. Itachi appeared to be mildly speechless for a moment.

"…Oh?" was the only thing he managed to say after the rather uncharacteristic rambling of the elder Shinobi and clan member. For his whole life that Itachi had known Shisui, the elder man had never rambled as badly as now and he had always kept his calm even in the most dangerous of situations. Shaking his head while frowning, Itachi tried to get his brain to work again. Itachi really had no choice but to trust Shisui and the elder shinobi had never given him any sign of betrayal either. "Alright, I will trust you."

Shisui looked up, surprised at the quick and firm answer. "Really? You really mean that?"

Sasuke who had been quiet the whole time suddenly piped up from behind Itachi's back. "Yes, really Shisui-niisan."

Shisui smiled slightly at the younger Uchiha before becoming serious again. "We haven't much time left to plan. I just come from a meeting with Fugaku-sama and a man I have never met before, he felt very powerful and dangerous. They and the council have formed a new plan, I thinks it's insane and crazy. But the worst of it's that it involves foreign ninjas, they said they come from the village of Sound. I personally have never heard of it, so it must be new village."

"That man, he makes me nervous and I felt on edge the entire time I was in his presence. I am sure nothing good can come from that man. At the end of the meeting we were informed that the ninjas would arrive tonight at midnight, so they get some time to be familiar with the village. If the Uchiha clan wanted to rule over Konoha that badly then at least they should do it themselves, not through other ninja, it's shameful." Shisui shook his head sadly.

Itachi looked thoughtful for a moment. He knew he needed to leave the village as soon as possible with his brother and perhaps Shisui if he wanted too. But he also had his duty of informing the Hokage of the new things he had discovered and that could take a few hours if the Hokage wanted all the details. Plus he had no idea where to go yet either.

Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

In the Head of the Uchihas house, Fugaku and the stranger conversed in a tense atmosphere. The Uchiha head's body was strained with nerves and he had a pinched expression on his face. In opposite of Fugaku, the stranger's body language was mockingly relaxed and calm.

"I will retrieve the boy so that he will be safe from the battle. I will send one of my own ninja to do the task. I trust that is alright with you, Fugaku?" The voice had a slight hissing and mocking quality to it and it made Fugaku shiver inside.

"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama." Fugaku said in an emotionless voice but inside he felt viciously angry. While he felt no remorse in using his own son as a bargain, he still felt angry that he was forced to give up one of his clan. Who know what the dangerous ninja before him could discover with having a living Uchiha at his disposal? He just wanted the ordeal to be over and done. Fugaku didn't exactly know what to say to his wife and eldest son about Sasuke's disappearance but he was sure he would think of something to say when the time came. He knew that his wife would become incredibly sad, Sasuke was her baby boy. Itachi though was problematic to predict but Fugaku wasn't so worried about his reaction, thinking foolishly that the boy didn't have any attachment to the younger.

Turning back to the conversation he was met with ha mocking smile and he realized that Orochimaru knew that he hated to be forced to do anything and was quite vexed because of it. He hated it. If looks could kill, the elder ninja would have been nothing but piles of melted goo. Then Fugaku cursed himself for letting the other ninja under his skin and making him show it.

Orochimaru turned to one of the corners in the room and waved once with his hand in a silent way of ordering the shadow to retrieve the boy. The shadow shifted for a split second before stilling once again. Outside a silent black clothed ninja traveled silently with the cover of the shadows.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
**  
Itachi decided to inform the Hokage and then as fast as possibly return the clearing where Shisui and Sasuke would be waiting for him. Before he left he reassured his brother that he would soon be back and that he would do everything in his power to make everything alright again. In the back of his mind, though, he doubted his own words.

He ran as fast he could, first using the trees and then using the rooftops in the village to take himself faster forwards. Luckily for him it was late in the evening and it was slowly becoming dark. It covered his frantic passing from the few civilians still left on the street and he knew that no shinobi would stop him when it clearly looked like it was an emergency.

He arrived five minutes later from when he started and barely stopped to greet the guards and the secretary as he walked briskly into the tower towards the Hokage's office. Fortunately the Hokage was alone and no other person was in the room, except for the hidden guards of course, which he keenly felt tense at his rather abruptly and nosily entrance. The Hokage looked at him in interest before understanding set in. Quickly he ordered the guards out and activated the seals to soundproof the room.

"Itachi? Has something happened?" Sarutobi asked hurriedly with a worried frown. He had felt Itachi the moment he was near the entrance of the tower but he hadn't expected such a ruffled looking young man to step into his office. Not even last had Itachi looked quite so desperate as now.

Itachi bowed deeply before speaking, never quite able to forget showing his respect to his Hokage despite the urgent situation. "Hokage, I received new information just ten minutes ago from a trustworthy source about the Uchiha clan." Quickly informing the elder ninja of what he knew Itachi absently noticed the other man expression becoming darker and sharper as he spoke.

"I see, this is grave news indeed. I will summon the other clan heads and council as fast as possible. If we have lady luck on our side then we will be able to plan a strategy before the other ninjas will arrive to Konoha. We will welcome them with a greeting they will never forget." The Hokage spoke with deep authority and called in a guard from outside and relayed his order to gather all important people to a meeting immediately, except the Uchiha clan, much to the guard's confusion but didn't say anything before leaving to fulfill his or hers task.

Left alone again Sarutobi turned his attention to the younger ninja before him. "Itachi, you and Sasuke must leave now, and if my suspicious are right another person who gave you that information. As we don't know from which way our enemies will come from you must leave immediately. If you are lucky you will be able to escape their notice or manage to outrun them with your head start."

Itachi nodded sharply once and gave the Hokage another deep bow, this time staying bent for moment longer to show his gratitude and thankfulness to the other man. Then he used Shunshin to exit the tower and hurried back to the clearing where he had left his most important and beloved people.

He rushed through the village and when he entered the forest he sensed an unfamiliar chakra signature. Right next to Shisui's and Sasuke's position. Terrified for their lives, Itachi set an even faster pace through the forest, using his chakra in his feet to push himself forward against the trees.

Suddenly he sensed that they were moving away from him, all three of them. Itachi figured that Shisui had discovered the unfamiliar ninja and tried to run with Sasuke. While that was good, it made it difficult for Itachi to catch up to them. Itachi was fast, very fast but that was nothing to Shisui's speed, especially when the elder ninja used Shunshin which he was a master at. He wasn't called "Shunshin no Shisui" or what the civilians called him "Shisui of the Body Flicker" for no reason after all.

Itachi had to be careful to not exhaust his chakra stores in his pursue, if it came to a fight then he needed to use the Sharingan which used up a large amount of chakra. Then he felt them stop a kilometer ahead of him and he feared that Shisui was injured, why would he otherwise stop when he had a child with him who couldn't fight?

After a string of muttered profanities, Itachi ran to catch up with them. A mighty boom echoed through the forest and a brilliant fire begun shine ahead of him. When he was five hundred meters away from chakra signature Itachi was forced to stop because of the raging fire. Taking a deep breath to calm the rising panic he felt Itachi searched for an open path in the fire which would lead him to the others.

Only after a few seconds he found what he was looking for. Without hesitation he lunged for the opening and speeded through it. He felt the heat in his skin and smelled the scent of burned clothes. Getting past the fire he immediately spotted, what he now knew as a foreign ninja with a headband with tone symbol on it and Shisui fighting against each other. Frantically Itachi searched for his little brother and after a moment he saw him by a tree which was free from the rampant fire.

A quick survey of the child told him that Sasuke wasn't gravely injured at least. Something inside of him relaxed before the sound of a tree being cracked in half disturbed his thoughts. Turning his whole attention to the battle Itachi snuck closer to the fighting pair.

Shisui had a deep gash on his back, probably from when he tried to escape and got hit in the back, but didn't seemed to be anymore injured. The other ninja had only a few shallow cuts and bruises but looked much more tired than Shisui. By using his own experience Itachi concluded that the foreign ninja was stalling and was probably waiting for back up and was avoiding attacking with his more devastation jutsus in Sasuke's way. It made Itachi wonder if ninja's target was Sasuke. It made his blood boil that someone wanted to hurt his precious little brother.

Clutching a kunai in his left hand, Itachi quickly activated his sharingan revealing three black tomoes in each eye. Just as Shisui was pushed away from the other ninja by an earth jutsu, Itachi leaped into the fray, sharingan blazing red. Shisui noticed him immediately and his eyes widened for a second before he quickly prepared C-ranked earth jutsu which would, hopefully, unbalance the enemy nin. The jutsu worked and Itachi managed to impale the ninja with his kunai in the right shoulder before jumping away.

The ninja howled with pain and anger. He yanked out the weapon and threw it back against Itachi so fast that the younger ninja could barely dodge it.

"Give me the brat and I will spare your pathetic life!" Roared the enemy nin, an enraged expression in his face.

Itachi simply 'hmm'-ed in response, neither agreeing or simply choosing to ignore it. His thoughts were right then, but what did they want with Sasuke? It would be more plausible if they were after himself to either kill him or make him join them. What did Sasuke possess that they wanted? Something wasn't right. He was dimly aware that the fire surrounding them now was spreading and growing in an alarming rate.

"I am stronger than you pathetic children, I will crush you like an ant if you don't give me the child right now." The ninja continued, becoming more and more enraged when he didn't get the response he wanted.

Itachi hummed but didn't challenge the statement of being weaker. The enemy ninja was strong, that much he could admit, but he let his emotions rule and that made him weaker than Itachi and Shisui. It was foolish to be so influenced by ones emotions, being goaded while in a battle were very normal and if one reacts to it could be very fatal.

Itachi and Shisui exchanged a quick glance before nodding discreetly to each other, though Itachi looked like he objected with the plan. He gave on last deep look at the elder Uchiha, like he wanted to imprint the others face in his memory. Without warning Itachi lunged towards the enemy, Shisui right behind him.

He quickly prepared a lightning jutsu, one of his favorites, which was designed to electrocute the opponent and made the enemy paralyzed in pain and unable to concentrate for several minutes. The foreign ninja somehow already knew what he was planning to do and summoned a wall of earth but was too late. Itachi's aim was true and hit the opponent already wounded shoulder with his eyes blazing with hidden anger.

The ninja screamed in pain as the jutsu hit him. In that moment when the opponent was distracted Shisui took the chance to wound him even further. Quickly he formed the hand signs to make metal spikes grow temporarily on his knuckles. They were about fifteen centimeters long and very deadly. He impaled them right into the chest of the enemy nin and slashed through him making the blood explode outwards. Shisui and Itachi jumped away from the ninja and watched warily for any response from the suddenly silent and still man.

"Itachi, take Sasuke and run. I will be fine." Shisui whispered under his breath so only Itachi would hear. "There is something wrong with that man, my ability to manipulate don't affect him at all. It's like he has some kind of barrier surrounding his mind."

"No, I won't leave you here to face the man yourself. My honor will not allow me." Itachi whispered back harshly.

"You stupid…" Shisui swore, looking quite frustrated. "I will be fine! Now take Sasuke and-" A scream interrupted him and it came from Sasuke's way.

Itachi spun around and saw to his horror that the fire had reached his brother. The boy was trapped against the tree and couldn't escape. Without thinking Itachi ran for his brother and reached him at the same moment as a dark twisted chakra filled the air. Lifting Sasuke into his arms he turned his gaze toward his cousin and enemy. The foreign ninja changed rapidly before his eyes, black ominous markings appearing on his skin and spreading everywhere. The man's hair grew longer and the teeth grew pointy and sharp.

Itachi felt a shiver through his body. What the hell was that? It looked and felt unnatural. Unconsciously he backed away from the suddenly much dangerous man. Itachi just continued staring, unable to think of a single thing to say.

Shisui was the first to compose himself. "Itachi, run!" Then he fazed his enemy with his Sharingan blazing proudly and in a battle stand. "NOW!" He screamed before charging forwards.

Itachi awoke from his trance and only hesitated for a moment before escaping through an opening in the fire. It went slowly as he had to avoid the raging fire which had spread even more. Finally he jumped into a clearing that was free from the fire but as he looked around himself he realized that he was trapped. The fire was everywhere and he searched in vain for a way out. Sasuke whimpered in his arms as the heat begun to rise as the fire grew closer.

Desperate he awkwardly formed the hand signs for a water jutsu and released it into the fire. To his surprise and misery it had nearly no effect on it. Clutching his brother to him he looked around on last time before coming to the conclusion that there was no way out.

Kneeling on the ground Itachi loosened his hold of his brother. Fazing the younger boy he felt despair fill him. He wanted his beloved brother to survive even if he didn't. Sasuke deserved to live his life and get married and produce children to create a family, not die at the tender ago of five. He deserved so much more and Itachi wanted to give his brother everything.

"Nii-san, are we gonna…die?" Sasuke whispered and looked at his elder brother.

Itachi felt tears in his eyes that he would never allow to fall. "No, of course not. We will be fine, just fine." Itachi muttered, trying to convince his brother or perhaps himself, he didn't know anymore.

"Nii-san, I love you." Sasuke said solemnly and Itachi could see the love shine through his beloved brother's eyes.

A single tear fell in Itachi face only to disappear quickly by the surrounding heat. "I love you too, Otouto."

The two brothers embraced each other and held on. Itachi suddenly remembered his 'soul promise' to always protect his brother from any kind of harm. He'd broken his promise. A familiar voice echoed through his mind unexpectedly, _"This coin is only going to be used in an emergency situation, are we clear?"_. Suddenly Itachi knew exactly what to do.

Pulling back from his brother he reached under his clothes around his neck. Dragging out the coin which was tied to a string Itachi broke it to hold the coin in his hand. Sasuke looked curiously at him despite his growing fear of the fire.

Itachi tried desperately to remember the activation code. Hawks? Walks? No, something with an F, Itachi thought. Fawkes!

Turning his attention to his brother Itachi tried to explain. "Sasuke, this coin was given to me by a man who helped me stay sane. The coin can transport us to whatever the man is located. You must hold on to it when I say the activation code, understood?" Itachi spoke quickly, realizing they didn't have much time left.

"Are you ready?" Itachi asked.

Sasuke nodded, frightened but determined to believe that his brother would save them regardless of any danger.

"Then hold onto the coin, little brother, and don't let go for anything."

Itachi shifted his hold on the child so Sasuke's back was to his chest. Keeping one arm around the child and the other one a firm hold on the coin along with Sasuke, Itachi prayed that Shisui would survive and forgive them for leaving him along to deal with enemy ninja.

Taking a deep breath Itachi spoke the activation code, "Fawkes," loudly and clearly before feeling a tug in the stomach and the sensation of flying become prominent. Not long thereafter only darkness exited for the two young boys.

* * *

**And that was that. Finally it's done! Yay!**

**What has it been, a half a year since last time? Shame on me! Without the awesome reviews I have gotten then this chapter wouldn't have been written at all. Thank you everyone who reviewed and like or love this story as much as I do!**

**Well what do you think of this chapter? I am not so sure about the fighting scene, but I knew in the beginning that I would have a problem in writing it. Did you foresee that Orochimaru would be involved with the Uchiha? **

**I have started on the next chapter already and I promise you that it will not take as long time for that chapter to come out like this one did!**

**Well anyway, next chapter will play out in Harry's world, look forward to it, I know I do!**

**Next chapter**: _Home_

**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**


	12. Home

**Hello my wonderful readers!**

**I here present you chapter 11!**

**Thank you for the wonderful reviews I received for the previous chapter, love you to pieces! This time it didn't take nearly as long to update as last time! **

**I had many reviews that asked about Shisui and many wished that he should've come with the Uchiha brothers. I honestly felt tempted to do just that, but after I tried to work him in the story while in Harry's world it became too complicated and too many character to work on. I would say that perhaps we will see him later in the story but whether he survived or not is still unknown.**

**This was Beta'd ****by ****XxTaintedxDaggerxX, give her a cheer for a wonderful job!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there._

**Chapter 11**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously: **_Taking a deep breath Itachi spoke the activation code, "Fawkes," loudly and clearly before feeling a tug in the stomach and the sensation of flying become prominent. Not long thereafter only darkness exited for the two young boys._

* * *

Harry and Naruto were sitting in the kitchen, quietly drinking their afternoon tea while making small talk about the past week. Harry and Naruto had now been living in the Manor for four months as of now and both had started to settle down, mostly thanks to the Lupin family.

Naruto and Teddy bonded very quickly over pranks and candy, like most children do. Both of them had few friends, so they liked to spend as much time together as possible. For the past week, Naruto had finally gotten to visit Teddy's home and he loved it. The Lupin family's home was located on the countryside, which meant the boys could spend a huge amount of time outside in the forest.

Harry, who was getting over his paranoia, was happy for Naruto because he knew that his son missed the freedom the forest gave him when he lived in the Manor. In Konoha, Naruto had had constant access to the forest. It had been both a haven and a refuge for him when the village people hunted him, especially on his birthday.

Naruto had visit the Lupin family every day the past week and Harry longed for a full day with his son. While he liked to take a break from his son to relax every now and then, like every parent wanted sometimes, after a while he missed his son's sunny personality and bright voice. So with that in mind, he planned the last day of the week to be a father-son day only. Fortunately, Naruto appeared to have missed him as well while playing with Teddy. It was the first time they had been away from each other for any length of time since they had first met on that fateful day in the alley.

The day started with a large breakfast made by the elves. Pancakes, with all that belonged on it and more, bacon, eggs, hot chocolate, coffee and freshly baked bread with several different bread toppings had the two of them to choose on and they stuffed themselves full of it.

Deciding they needed a little exorcise, Harry took them to the nearby park. Harry taught Naruto first how to throw a Frisbee and they had fun with it for an hour. After a game of who could throw the Frisbee the longest, the two of them decided to buy some ice-cream to cool down a bit.

Stopping in front of the ice-cream stand, the father and son read the menu of different flavors. Harry decided in the end for simple vanilla with chocolate sprinkles on top.

"Nate, what do you want to have? You need to choose before my ice-cream melts." Harry asked as he received his own order.

"Mhm, there is so many to choose of, I can't decide dad." Naruto, also affectionately called Nate by his father, whined having trouble to decide which ice-cream would taste the best.

"What don't you just pick the one that caught your attention first, we will come here more times and then you can taste another one." Harry advised.

Naruto hesitated for a second before giving in. "Alright, I want the one with the blueberry taste."

"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Harry teased slightly with a smirk, giving his son's shoulder a comforting squeeze and Naruto pouted with a sullen look that vanished immediately when he received his ice-cream from the vendor.

Together they wandered through the park, searching for vacant park bench to sit on. In the end, they didn't find any free. Apparently many older people along with families with young children thought this day was perfect for a day outside. Harry decided instead to sit under a large oak tree, the long branches full with green healthy leaves that shielded them from the hot sun.

The small family sat in peace and quiet for an hour, eating their ice-cream silently, and just enjoying being with each other. But soon the sugar in the ice-cream got to Naruto, who just couldn't sit still any longer. He watched as a family of four played with a flat and yellow thing, which he remembered from earlier with his dad. It was thrown in between them and, to Naruto, it looked quite fun. At least the two kids in the family was yelling and laughing loudly while the parent smiled in fondness.

To Naruto's surprise, he recognized the look the parents wore from his own dad. Sometimes, when he would play a prank with Teddy or when he figured out a particular hard math question, his father would get that look in his eyes and it made him feel all warm inside.

Wanting to have that look on himself again Naruto decided that they would play like the family with the yellow flying thing, he couldn't remember the name of it. Turning around to face his father, Naruto was stunned into a continued silence. Resting against the tree next to him was Harry with his eyes closed and a small smile playing on his lips. The man looked almost undeniable vulnerable and beautiful with the sun shining directly at him, making his wild hair seem like a dark hallow surrounding the man.

Naruto's breath caught in his throat at the sight, having never seen his father sleep as peacefully before. This wonderful, beautiful and, no doubt, the kindest man he knew was actually his dad, his father, only his parent and no one else.

Naruto felt tears beginning to slide down his cheeks, but he didn't care that big boys like him shouldn't cry. Suddenly, only wanting to be near to the older man, he crawled closer and curled up against Harry with his face in the man's stomach. Naruto felt overwhelmed by his strong feelings and he didn't know how to deal with them, so the only thing he could do was to cry and bask in his father's presence.

Harry slowly woke up to the feeling of something wet, but at the same time feeling the warm sun on his face. He opened his eyes up to witness his son silently crying in his stomach.

Harry pulled away to stare up at him with wide eyes. "Are you okay, Naruto? What happened?"

The child only shook his head and didn't answer.

Harry, suddenly worried for his child, wasn't settled without an answer. "Please Naruto, tell me what's wrong. Are you hurt anywhere?"

Naruto met his father eyes, tears still falling from his own eyes, and moistened his dry lips before speaking. "I love you dad.", he said before hiding his face against Harry stomach again.

Somewhat chocked, Harry only answered with an, "I love you too, son.", and embraced the child with his arms.

Silence descended on them, only broken by the faint sound of childish giggles and adult voices that floated through the park. Harry broke the peaceful moment first.

"Hey, Naruto, what do you say about playing a game?"

Immediately he had the child attention and he smiled at the boy's energy. "Yea! Want to play with the flat and yellow flying thing again, can we do that? Please!"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, a flat and yellow flying thing? What in the world?

"You mean the Frisbee?", he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yea! Yea, that!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The father and son returned home after a long day at the park. They ate the food the house-elves had prepared with relish in the kitchen before going to bed early. As Harry tucked Naruto into his child sized bed, he could only smile at the already sleeping boy, exhausted from the day's playing in the park.

He himself felt rather tired as well and decided to go to bed early he too. Despite feeling worn-out, Harry had a hard time sleeping. The time begun to approach twelve a clock and he was no more nearer to falling asleep. He dozed for another five minutes, just thinking about the day in the park and smiling contently at the successful day. He loved spending time with his son.

A sudden boom and a following crash caused Harry to fly up from the bed and grab his wand in seconds. Quickly, without really thinking about it, he spelled his feet to be silent and charmed himself to invisible. Silently he crept down the hallway, checking his son's room first. Naruto lay deep asleep still and Harry sighed in relief. He closed the door and cast a strong locking charm plus a few protection spells which wouldn't allow anyone other than himself to open the door, not even Naruto.

Continuing down the staircase Harry arrived down to the first floor. There was no light but with soundless spell casted on his eyes Harry could see excellent in the dark. Straining to hear any sound, his thought begun to run away. Only Remus and his family had access to the house and they were also the only ones who knew Harry had returned. The Manor had wards against thieves, muggle and magical ones, and with all the extra wards he paid the goblins to do it, Harry had been sure no one could break in or enter the manor without his permission.

Harry checked the kitchen first, but discovered nothing there. He continued towards the sitting room when a soft sound made him kneel and take cover behind a plotted plant. When nothing happened for a moment, he crept around the plant towards the sitting room again. Arriving to the door Harry cautiously peeked into the room and immediately detected two human forms. One was laying outspread on the floor and wasn't moving and the other form, obviously bigger than the other, was standing over the laying one, as of protecting him or her from danger.

Harry suddenly got the feeling that they didn't know where they were. It made him pause a moment, could an accident gotten them here? Still he had to make sure none of them would be a danger to himself or Naruto. He raised his wand slightly, just in case, and seated himself so that he could act quickly if it became necessary.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?", Harry spoke harshly in voice that demanded an answer.

The figure standing jerked his head in Harry's direction and raised his right hand with an odd looking knife, ready to defend himself. He stood frozen for a moment without uttering a word, but didn't move to attack.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Why wasn't the stranger answering him? Cautiously he released the invisible spell and made himself visible in the doorway. "Answer me! State your name and purpose!", Harry barked out again.

The figure still didn't speak or move. In fact if Harry looked closer he could see a confused and frustrated expression in the others face. A nagging feeling began to make itself known in Harry, like he had meet this person before somewhere. Taking a closer look, Harry's eyes widened in surprise, it couldn't be-. Quickly he switched language from English before trying again.

"Itachi?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi felt like barfing when he landed abruptly in a dark strange looking room. He barely noticed that Sasuke lay by his feet, apparently unconscious, while he fought to keep his food in his stomach. This was not what he had expected when using the coin, which currently lay innocently on the floor where he had dropped it.

In fact, he hadn't expected anything. He hadn't had the time when he was running in the forest surrounded by the fire. All he had thought about was his brother and Shisui. Itachi felt a stab in his heart when he thought about Shisui, had he survived? Had he defeated the enemy nin? Or had the fire taken his life? Itachi wished he knew what happened, he hoped at least Shisui wasn't suffering alone somewhere. Pained sound escaped his throat at the thought.

Finally getting his stomach under control, he bent down to check on Sasuke. The child's pulse was steady and he only looked worse for wear. Itachi sighed silently and allowed himself to relax marginally; even he knew that Sasuke was alright. For the first time, Itachi surveyed the room and it left him feeling confused. It looked nothing like he had ever seen.

The fireplace was huge, there existed smaller ones in Konoha, but it was very rare someone actually needed it with the heat and all. The floors were in a different material, one he had never seen before and the room simply was very different than the ones from the Uchiha compound or any other place Itachi had visited.

Just when Itachi had decided that they needed search for a better place to hide, a voice made him freeze and turn around.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Itachi swiftly pulled forth a kunai and crunched down in an attacking position directly above Sasuke. He faced the doorway he only now had noticed and tensed in anticipation. When the word sunk in Itachi realized with growing horror that he hadn't understood a word of what had been said. What kind of strange place had he been sent to if he couldn't even understand the language?

"Answer me! State your name and purpose!" The voice barked again, this time sounding angrier and more demanding. Itachi finally saw a figure in the doorway and he directed his full attention on the form. He desperately wanted to activate the Sharingan, but he had zero chakra left and he knew from experience that if he forced himself to use it anymore it would render him unconscious. Itachi couldn't allow that, not when he had his brother to protect. What was he supposed to do now? Then the atmosphere changed and Itachi heard his name uttered in amazed and confused tone, this time in a language he could understand.

"Itachi?"

Itachi was just about to answer with a question of his one, but was silenced when the male, the voice had sounded male, stepped out and into the room. Itachi's face first mirrored the other male's expression in shock, before he sighed in relief.

"Harry-san." He simply said in answer in his own language and lowered his hand which held the kunai.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry couldn't believe it. Itachi, who he only had met a few times and only offered his help on a whim, was standing in his home. On a second glance, Harry realized that the other figure lying on the floor probably was his brother, if his face was anything to go on, but how did Itachi transport them here? Harry didn't remember giving anythi- Ah, right , the coin. His memories from almost two years ago came slowly back to him.

He had given Itachi the coin, not really expecting the child to use it. The boy had seemed to be much attached to his village, even if his family left much to be desired. Harry had meant for the coin to be a reminder that not all humans were heartless and there were people out there that actually cared and, could and would do something to help.

An absent thought trickled its way into his minds, how was he supposed to explain this to Naruto?

Harry nodded to Itachi's statement of his name and, relaxing his guard, fully stepped into the room. He deactivated the charm which made him see in the dark and pressed a button on the wall to get light. Walking forward Harry saw immediately that the younger boy on the floor was unconscious. Fatherly concern swept over him, seeing Naruto in similar state in his mind.

Itachi blinked to get the spot in his vision to disappear as the room lightened suddenly. While still on guard because of the earlier happenings, Itachi relaxed slightly at the oddly soothing features of the older man. He didn't flinch as the man approached closer, instead kneeling down to assist when the man checked Sasuke over further.

Neither man said anything while Harry escorted the siblings to his own bedroom. They tucked the child into the bed after wrapping the few scraps he had gotten with bandage. Together they returned to the sitting room and positioned themselves across each other.

Taking a deep breath, knowing that whatever he would hear from the younger man wouldn't be good, Harry only said one word.

"Talk." He watched several emotions flit over Itachi's face, too fast to discern before he started to talk.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry felt a headache beginning to build and sighed into his coffee, directing his gaze at the ceiling. It had been eight hours since Itachi and his brother had arrived. Four of those had been used to talk about what had happened. After that, Itachi had fallen asleep quite suddenly on the sofa, most likely unable to stop himself as his body demanded rest. Harry, on the other hand, felt sleep was particularly hard to catch this night.

He had gone through what Itachi had told him several times, feeling sicker and more disturbed after every revision on what he now knew. Harry didn't want to understand the why's or how's, he was only glad that Itachi and Sasuke managed to get out of there in time. He felt a little unfair guilt when he thought about Shisui, who Itachi had told him about, and how he had been left behind to fight alone. Harry knew that he could have done nothing, for merlin's sake, he hadn't even been in the same dimension at the time. Still the feeling was there nonetheless.

Harry groaned in response to his thoughts, hand rising to press on his forehead. His head felt like it had been bulldozed over and all this thinking and lack of sleep wasn't helping either. He was just about to summon a pain potion when he glanced out the window from the kitchen table and saw the sun climbing its way up.

No sleep for me then, Harry thought miserably and, without another thought, summoned the potion soundlessly and devoid of a wand. Knocking the potion down and giving the customary grimace at the taste, Harry sighed deeply. The pain in his head disappeared gradually and suddenly he could think clearly again.

Harry took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling once more. He could easily support two more people, money hadn't been a problem since he was eleven, but what about the future? Naruto had he planned on starting school when he had settled down a little, perhaps Sasuke could join him if he wanted too? What about Itachi then? The man-child was a trained ninja, a highly skilled one if he had understood it right, and he wouldn't be happy or satisfied if he only allowed to stay at home all the time. He needed to do something, at least, to keep him occupied.

But what? He may have been an adult in his dimension because of his ninja status but here he still was very much a child. The boy was only twelve, soon to be thirteen after all.

Harry sighed again, he really shouldn't make plans for others without them being present, it made him feel like he was becoming like Dumbledore. He shivered at the thought, with everything happening in the recent year and a half, he hadn't spent a thought on the backstabbing old fool. He really didn't want to start now either.

Without noticing, he laid down his head on the kitchen table and let his eyes fall shut. It wasn't long before he had fallen into a light sleep, blissfully unaware that he would wake up with a most painful cramp in his neck later on.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto woke up at his usual time, around nine and immediately had to run to the toilet. He felt a little stiff in his muscles from yesterday, but it only made him smile when he remembered why. The fun they had rivaled the fun Naruto had had when he'd played with Teddy at the other boy's home. Suddenly starving for food and expecting his father either down in the kitchen already cooking breakfast or reading a book in the sitting room while letting the house-elves cook the food, Naruto raced down the stairwells.

When arriving in the hall on the first floor Naruto decided to check if Harry was in the sitting room first, because he couldn't smell any food being cooked in the kitchen. Naruto bounced into the room and immediately spotted a black haired figure sleeping on the sofa. Feeling a little mischievous he sneaked closer before ambushing the figure.

Just before landing on the man, Naruto saw that the figure he'd thought to be his father, certainly wasn't. Managing to oddly twist in the air Naruto fell on the stranger's right side before he could roll away on the floor.

The man however awoke like the lightening and tried on instinct to grab the attacking body but due to his sleepy exhausted state failed. He quickly turned his gaze on the moving body right next to him and first stared dumbly at the bright haired child which looked back in him with horrified eyes.

Naruto was frozen like a deer in the headlights, too stunned by the proximity of the other man to get out any coherent words and horrified that an unknown stranger was in his home. He couldn't come up with a single word to say while dearly wishing for his daddy.

Itachi stared at the child for a moment, feeling his brain kick-start more slowly than usual. Absently, he wondered when he'd fallen asleep and how long he'd been sleeping. He couldn't remember Harry mention a child anytime when they had talked, but they had mostly talked about himself and the situation in Konoha. Focusing on the child again he decided to start from the beginning and try to make the boy relax.

"Hello, my name is Itachi. What's yours?" he asked evenly and tried to change his body language to a more relaxed one.

The question seemed to shake the child from his frozen state. "Ah, i-it's Naruto, m-my name I mean." Naruto blushed slightly as he stumbled on the words.

"I see, well nice to meet you, Naruto. May I ask who you are to Harry-san?"

Itachi watched with amusement at the child puffed up proudly at the question. "He's is my dad, believe it!"

"Alright, do you know where Harry-san is currently then?" Itachi asked after a moment when the child seemed too shy to say anything more.

Blonde spikes whipped around vigorously as the boy shook his head in dismay. "I was looking for daddy when I found you. Eh, right, suppose I should say sorry for jumping on you." Naruto murmured the last with a bright blush on his cheeks.

"Ah, you are forgiven. Shall we look for Harry-san together then?" Itachi couldn't help but smile a little at the bright haired boy before him, he was undeniable cute with the blush on his cheeks in embarrassment.

Naruto nodded his head again and backed away from the couch so the other boy could stand up.

"Eh, Itachi-san, why are you here? I mean, not to be rude," Naruto stuttered with a red face and squirmed slightly. "But daddy didn't say anything about guests."

Itachi nodded and wondered what so say. He couldn't exactly say that he came from another dimension and expect the boy to believe him. (Itachi don't recognize Naruto as the Kyuubi holder because he had only seen the child a few times and that was years ago.) "I believe that Harry-san would be the best person to explain, but I can inform you that I came unexplained and that your father didn't know that I and my brother would arrive."

Naruto perked up at the mention of a brother. "Brother?"

"Yes, my younger brother, Sasuke. I believe he is the same ago as you are." Itachi said and promptly blushed when his stomach made itself known and demanded food.

"Oh, do you think he would like to play with me?" Naruto asked innocently with looking at the older boy with pleading eyes.

Itachi refrained from rolling his eyes, children, honestly. "I can't answer for Sasuke, but I don't see any problem with it. Now, shall we search for your father?" Itachi stood up and felt several bones crack and set themselves right. Feeling better than he had in a long while, he and child walked out into the hallway and, with Naruto's suggestion, towards the kitchen.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Naruto felt a little uneasy about the strange man he had found on the coach. At first he'd been horrified to find an unknown man in his home, but then after they started talking he'd strangely started to relax despite his earlier feelings. Now, when the silence returned while they searched for his father, he became wary yet again.

The child or man, Naruto couldn't really tell, but the other male was bigger than himself, though smaller than his dad. Could one be something in between a child and adult? Feeling confused by his own thoughts Naruto pushed it aside for the time being, he would ask his dad later.

Fortunately Naruto could quickly spot his dad's unruly mop of black hair by the kitchen table when entering the kitchen door. It also became promptly clear that the elder man was deeply asleep.

Naruto, unable to control himself, shouted out to wake the man. "Dad! Wake up, its morning!"

Harry shot up at the loud sound and whirled around at first, disoriented by sleep. He blinked at the two of them standing in the doorway for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and sinking down on the chair again.

"Good morning Naruto, I see that you have met Itachi-kun.", Harry muttered against his hands as he tried to wake himself by rubbing his face.

"Yeah. How do you know Itachi-san though, dad? I have never heard you mention him before.", Naruto asked, curiosity flooding his voice.

Harry sighed, looking fairly resigned. "That is story that will not be told until we have eaten breakfast at least."

Naruto nodded somewhat reluctantly, but agreed as he was rather hungry now when he'd found his dad. If his dad knew that Itachi person, then he couldn't be all that bad.

Itachi, while staying silent, observed the father and son interaction. Having really no true experience in the subject, he was curious what it was like to have a proper father-figure to rely on. His dealings with his own father were very poor and he'd rather like to forget them entirely, because he knew that his father held no love or fondness for either himself or Sasuke.

As he sat down at the kitchen table he observed the two. The child seemed to naturally gravitate to the elder man and they shared a presence which told Itachi everything he needed to know. Perhaps this was how it was supposed to be, between a father and son?

Itachi was interrupted from his thoughts when his instinct told him that he was watched.

"Itachi-kun, perhaps you would like to wake Sasuke-kun? Do you think you will find your way to the room?", Harry asked the black haired teenager.

Itachi, while scolding himself for letting his guard down, nodded in answer. "I have memorized the path, it shouldn't be a problem."

"I see, well then, we will start with breakfast while you fetch Sasuke.", Harry said, a little awed that the teenager remembered the path that he only had walked once and in the dark as well.

Itachi walked out of the kitchen while Harry and Naruto set out to cook breakfast. Though, before the father and son even manage to touch the refrigerator, a house-elf popped into the kitchen, a disgruntled expression on its face.

"Master and young master shouldn't cook food, that is the house-elves duty!" The small creature almost snapped at them, ignoring the look of surprise it gained by its outburst.

Harry only sighed, but Naruto stared with wide-eyed surprise. He'd never encountered a house-elf that felt someone was stealing their job. Harry on the other hand, had had this discussion many times when he decided that he wanted to cook the food. He'd even almost fought with the elf that took care of the garden when he wanted to work there and teach Naruto at the same time.

To him, this was an old argument, which he begun to tire of. Feeling resigned once again this morning, he let the elf do as he wanted. He gained a bright smile from the creature when he conceded for once. He was almost sure the house-elf's name was Flip, but he could be wrong.

With a huff of annoyance, Harry turned to his son. "What do you want for breakfast Naruto?"

"Pancakes with chocolate chips!"

Harry sighed in fondness. "Of course." After ordering his own breakfast, toast with strawberry marmalade and a cup of coffee, the house-elf happily begun to snap his fingers to start making the requested food.

After a few minutes a startled gasp interrupted the silence in the kitchen. Harry turned his attention to the doorway and spotted Itachi with his little brother at his side, both of them sported wide-eyed expression as they stared at the working house-elf.

"It's okay, he is harmless." Harry reassured the brothers. "Flip is a house-elf, a creature which serves wizards and witches by taking care of their needs and houses."

The brothers slowly entered the kitchen, the elder of them watching the house-elf suspiciously while the younger had discovered Naruto and watched the other boy almost shyly.

In return Naruto stared at the other boy his age. He was burning with questions to ask, but was struck speechless. The silence continued after the brothers approached the table, only broken when Harry couldn't stand it any longer.

"Hello Sasuke, my name is Harry," Harry said and smiled at the child and then pointed at his son." And this is my son, Naruto."

Sasuke stared at the man that had saved his brother and himself from a certain death and nodded before greeting in return. "Hello, it's nice to meet you." The ever polite and obedient child, as his family had raised him to be submissive to their will. He did a perfectly executed bow before sitting down at the table.

Itachi sat himself next to his brother and gave up keeping the creature under watch, confident in his abilities to protect himself and his brother.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It wasn't long before Harry had told the two boys about his meetings with Itachi and clarified what the coin had been and in that swing explained briefly what magic was. The brothers took the revelations about magic very well. Harry wasn't surprised at this because of what the ninja could do rivaled what wizards were capable of. Though they were astonished that not everyone could use magic or control chakra, that one had to be born with it.

Harry only touched on the war, knowing that Itachi understood that his roll had been bigger than he had described it as. He decided to wait a few days before talking about the future. Both Uchiha needed to rest and settle down a bit before planning ahead.

The conversation continued well after breakfast and, when the clock approached twelve, Harry decided to let the brothers get a chance to talk alone and explore the house. He instructed them that if they got lost or if they wanted to find himself if they had any questions, then to call for a house-elf to help them. He also said that he would send an elf for them when lunch would be ready.

Harry and Naruto decided to let the brothers explore the house a bit while empty, so they walked out into the garden to fly a few hours.

The day continued smoothly, the two groups only really meeting and talking when eating around the kitchen table. Sasuke and Naruto seemed still too shy to really speak with each other as of yet, but Harry thought secretly that would probably soon change. At least Naruto wouldn't be able to hold back, being such a social child when getting the chance to interact with children his age.

The clock pinged twelve a clock in the hallway and both the younger boys were fast asleep for already a couple of hours ago. Harry and Itachi had gravitated towards the sitting room and sat in an armchair facing each other. The two of them had been making small talk, mostly about Sasuke and Naruto, sharing fun moments in their life and Harry explaining a bit more about the new world the two brothers had appeared in.

Both of them felt pretty tired and knew they would need their strength to deal with children the coming morning. Itachi decided to ask a question that had been plaguing him the whole day.

"Harry-san, what am I supposed to do now? My work as a ninja here is practically useless, I don't know anything else. My whole life has been about being a ninja and clan heir, what use will that be know?" An almost desperate tone entered Itachi voice, though he tried to keep it hidden.

Harry sighed and wished he could have this conversation later, preferably when he had better answers for the boy. "Honestly, I don't really know Itachi. I have been gone from this world for some time and I am a little behind. One option would be to start school, like the other kids your age, "Harry chuckled slightly at the put out expression Itachi gained at that. "But I can predict that would not go so well. Not only do you not have the knowledge necessary to keep up with your classmates, you have no paper trail of your birth or other essential papers to register legally."

"With magic it's possible to fake the papers, but that would still not solve the knowledge problem." Harry sighed deeply again and sagged into the chair.

Itachi nodded attentively. He disliked the thought of returning to school, but could see the use in it. He wanted to be able to use his skills though, even if it only was limited to taijutsu. He couldn't let himself grow lazy and rusty. He voiced his thought to Harry aloud.

"Well, it would be possible to register you as a member at a martial arts dojo. It will however guaranti that you will attract attention pretty fast with your skills. If you are lucky, you could score a job there if you are a little smart." Harry said with a thoughtful frown.

"But Itachi, no matter what, I will take care of both you and Sasuke. You will never need for anything if I get a say in it." Harry held his gaze steadily, as though to convince Itachi of the truth of his words.

Itachi looked stunned for a moment before he nodded with a small grateful smile on his lips. He silently repressed his tears, the man before him really cared what happened to him, unlike his own blood family.

Not long afterwards, both of them decided to retire to bed. It had been a pretty long day and the morning after would probably be equally exhausting. Harry thought at least the house-elves had been happy today, they had gotten to cook breakfast, lunch and dinner, usually Harry tried to cook at least one meal a day but he hadn't had the energy with everything going on.

Both Itachi and Harry fell asleep quickly, Itachi since he still suffered from chakra exhaustion and Harry because he'd slept so few hours the previous night.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After Harry flooed to Remus and explained that he'd gotten unexpected guests and would like to get them settled before he and his family could visit again, the days went by oddly smoothly. The Uchiha brothers adapted unnaturally fast, at least according to Harry, and Sasuke and Naruto had begun to shyly seek each other out to play a little.

Harry enjoyed hearing the children's laughter and savored that once again the house was beginning to be filled with sound. He couldn't wait for when the Lupin family joined them, just imaging the noise and life in the house.

Itachi and Harry had been talking late into the nights, in truth it was like a therapy lesson for Itachi, and in some way for Harry as well. The Uchiha carried a lot of emotional baggage, everything from his separation with his brother, the pressure from his clan and the many deadly and bloody missions which he started with far too early. Oddly enough Itachi felt no restrictions when speaking with the older man, all of it came bumbling out in a mess that Harry helped in sorting out.

Itachi couldn't remember a time when he felt this relived and relaxed before. It felt like huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. The only thing that still weight heavily on him was the fate of Shisui.

Every time he would mention Shisui in a sad way, Harry would squeeze his shoulder reassuringly and Itachi would feel comforted by the small gesture, something he'd never had before. When Harry asked something of him, a task or information it was a simple request and never an obligation he had to follow. In the short time he'd been in the house, it had already begun to feel like home.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasuke was amazed at everything that involved magic. While jutsu's and other ninja techniques were beyond cool, with magic one could do so much more. He was sorely disappointed when he understood that he couldn't do any magic himself, but was eventually content with watching Harry-san perform it.

Strangely enough, while living in the Potter manor with his brother, Harry-san and Naruto, he hadn't missed his other family at all. He had always felt more strongly for his brother no matter what. Sasuke rarely received any attention from their father, only disappointed sighs and frowns when he didn't perform perfectly, either at the academy or training at home. He'd fonder feelings for his mother, but those could be ignored now when he had Itachi around all the time and the Potters, which both seemed very nice and loving people.

In short, Sasuke adapted very quickly to the new world and lifestyle he'd been presented with. Being a young child only helped with learning the new language and, with a few disgusting potions called wit sharpening and concentration draught, Sasuke had come a long way to mastering English. It helped that Naruto had used the same method and still had a few thing to learn, even after living in the manor for four months.

It was obvious that Sasuke was learning way faster than Naruto but it didn't matter because Naruto was so much farther ahead, but neither Harry nor Itachi felt inclined to mention it.

It was a week after arriving that Sasuke was first allowed to go somewhere outside that wasn't the backyard of the house. Sasuke had been reduced to begging by the end of the week to be let outside, using his puppy eyes on both Harry-san and Itachi. Every time they refused he'd puffed up like ball and went off to sulk in his room or complained to Naruto. Both Harry and Itachi had been had pressed to hide their smirks at Sasuke's impression of a chipmunk, thinking that it was utterly adoring and cute.

The growing family had decided to visit the park, as it was a sunny and bright day. It took, however, some time to reach the park, not because it was far away, only a five minutes' walk, but because Sasuke and occasionally Itachi couldn't stop asking questions that required them to stop to study the object of interest.

"Harry-san, Harry-san! What is that?", Sasuke exclaimed excitedly and pointed at object number fifteen, at least to Harry, but he suspected he'd lost count around ten.

Harry turned tiredly to observe whatever had caught the child's attention yet again. At the corner of the building, at the other side of the road, stood racks of bicycles proudly, every one of them in good shape and shining in the sun. The sight of a cheerfully red bicycle awoke bitter memories in Harry from his childhood.

While explaining what a bicycle was to both Sasuke and Itachi and what it was used for, Harry relived old and, what he had thought, forgotten memories.

_Harry had been six, Dudley seven and it had been a hot summer day in the middle of May. Harry had, while working in the garden as usual, witnessed when the neighborhood kid, a girl of eight, received a brand new bicycle by her parents. He had watched for hours as the girl learned to ride it, her parent standing on one side each in case it tipped, supporting her and cheering her on when she fell. _

_A burning desire lit up in Harry, wishing he too could own a bicycle and that his Aunt and Uncle would teach him to ride it, or better yet his parents. Knowing that wishing for his parents was fruitless, because they had died in a car accident accordingly to Aunt Petunia, he forced himself to think that perhaps he could convince his relatives to buy him one of he did all the chores in the house perfectly for a month?_

_Unbelievably enough, when wary and cautiously speaking his thoughts to his Uncle, the man had, after a moment, agreed to his terms, an odd expression flitting across the elder man's face too fast for Harry to catch._

"_Fine, if you complete the chores assigned to you for entire month, then we will buy you a bicycle." Vernon muttered and narrowed his eyes at the small boy. "But if one chore isn't done to perfection, you can forget it, understand you damned brat?"_

_Harry nodded and donned a serious expression. "I understand, Uncle Vernon."_

_For some strange reason, Uncle demanded that he started the month on the twenty-second, confused but willing to agree Harry only nodded in answer. _

_The month flew by and July approached its last days. Harry worked from morning to night tirelessly, silently desperate to make everything perfect and please his relatives. His only thoughts were on the new bicycle would receive making him lose attention to other things._

_On the twentieth of July, he got the chore to clean out the garage with strict orders to not even touch the car which stood within. When Harry entered, he immediately spotted a bright new bicycle standing in the far away corner, it shined a brilliant red and looked untouched. He felt his heart clench tightly in his chest, Uncle had actually done it! They had actually bought him a bicycle!_

_Harry didn't even dare to touch it, feeling that it would make it go away if he did. The rest of the day and the day after, Harry worked twice as hard, feeling a drive and passion like never before. When he later went to bed in his cupboard under the stairs the night of the twenty-first, he dreamed about learning and riding his new bicycle and with his relatives looking on proudly because he was such a fast learner. _

_Waking up the next day, Harry performed his usual morning duties with cooking breakfast, waiting eagerly for his reward. Harry was mildly shocked to find out that it was Dudley's birthday that very day, but didn't think anything more on it. He waited before they had eaten the breakfast to approach his Uncle._

"_Uncle Vernon? It's been a month now.", Harry said while looked at the elder man with bright hopeful eyes._

_The overweight man only grunted in answer, before turning his attention to his increasingly fattening son. Harry only sighed and thought that he would ask again later in the day._

_After several hours, in which Dudley opened up his huge amount of presents, Harry tried really hard not to get jealous, after all he would get his bicycle later. When the final present was opened Harry opened up his mouth to speak, but was beaten by Uncle Vernon. _

"_Let's go out to the garage! We have one final surprise!" He grunted out, not looking at anyone in particular. _

_Harry followed his relatives out the door, feeling his heart almost try to jump its way out of his body. Finally it was his! After all that hard work, he finally got a reward for it!_

_Vernon opened up the garage doors with a dramatic gest, before pointing at the bright red bicycle standing innocently in the same corner as the last time Harry had seen it._

"_This, my son, is your first adult bicycle which both your mother and I think you deserve for being such a smart and good son.", he said with a proud voice and Petunia had tears in her eyes and watched as her son raced towards it with a gleeful expression. _

_No, no, no, NO, NO, NO! Harry screamed inside his mind. That is my bicycle! No one else! For a second, Harry met Vernon's eyes and saw the truth reflecting in them. They had never, for even a second, considered buying something so expensive for him, no matter how hard he worked. All that work, for nothing. Harry's breath caught, a sharp pain twisting his chest as he wrapped his arms around himself._

_Then after a moment, Harry felt himself becoming numb, his last hope that he could make his relatives proud and actually start liking him died a painful and heartbreaking death. He slowly turned away from the happy picture before him, a family together where a mother and father loved their son, and walked into the house and hid in his cupboard. _

_Tears soundlessly made its way down his cheeks and he stared sightlessly into the low ceiling, feeling absolutely nothing and never wanting to feel anything anymore. _

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Itachi, Sasuke and Naruto watched in concern as Harry fell silent with a faraway expression, his face slowly twisting into a pained look. They eyed each other worried, all three wondering what was wrong. None said anything for couple of minutes, the silence pressing down on them.

"Nii-san, what wrong with Harry-san?", Sasuke finally whispered, the silence became too much.

Itachi could only shake his head. "I don't know."

Naruto dared to touch his father gently on the arm, but didn't get a response from the motionless man. His eyes narrowed as he looked around, formulating a plan. Finally he turned to the other two.

He spoke with all seriousness a five-year old could. "I think dad is caught in a horrible memory."

Sasuke stared at Naruto curiously. "How do you know?"

Itachi looked pained at the question, knowing intimately how agonizing it was to be caught in memories and be forced to relive them.

Naruto looked down before answering. "I have seen dad in this state before, it usually takes hours before he his back to normal afterwards.", he said sadly, remembering the times like yesterday. Usually his dad wanted to hold him tight afterwards, like he got comfort from being near him.

Sasuke, realizing the situation as a serious one, became solemn. "How do we snap him out of it?", he asked miserably.

"I thought that maybe, maybe Itachi-san could use a water jutsu or something. If it's alright with him, of course.", Naruto said quickly while sneaking a glance at the older boy.

Itachi nodded silently. The possibilities ran through his mind, and he knew he needed to choose a small working jutsu, too much water would bring too much attention even though there wasn't any people on the street they were standing on currently.

"You're the best Nii-san! Go for it!", Sasuke silently cheered on and Naruto nodded along.

Itachi chuckled sadly, before turning serious. He finally found the perfect jutsu to use, it was used as a way to fill water in cooking pot while camping out, but if you increased you chakra a bit it would produce a slighter harder spray. Hopefully that would be all it would take to wake Harry-san up again. Molding his chakra, Itachi carefully manipulated it with the help of hand seals and, after only a few seconds, a sharp spray hit the black haired man spot on.

It took a couple of seconds for the cold water to sink in before it pulled Harry abruptly from his memories. But when it did, he cried out in shock like a girl before he whirled around, losing his balance in the process and fell to the ground and glared heatedly at the three children before him. All three of them trying in vain to hide their laughter, but failing miserably.

"What the hell!", he cried out, seeking an explanation to his wet state. Harry could only sit, mouth agape, staring at the three children, two of them now right out laughing at his undignified response to the prank, Itachi only chuckled in mirth.

Suddenly as one, they turned and ran like hell towards the park, leaving a gaping Harry to watch.

Harry spluttered uselessly for a moment before giving chase. He yelled at them to stop and screamed what he would do to them when he caught them, but inwards he was enormously grateful to them, every time Harry got stuck in his memories he was afraid that he would never snap out of it. While just this memory he relived right now was a relatively tame one, it was, however, one that had a very large effect on his life.

Now he had a different family though, a family he'd created not out of necessary, because of looming war or because of blood, but for love. Harry didn't want to imagine a life without Naruto now, he loved the little sunshine haired boy with his whole heart and he could predict that in the soon future the Uchiha brother would find themselves a place in his heart, if they hadn't already.

When Harry finally joined the others, it was with smile on his lips, making the younger three slightly suspicious as they edged away. Harry only laughed happily and thought joyfully, _this is my family, only mine._

* * *

**The memories with the bicycle wasn't really my idea from the start, I remember reading ****something similar from another fanfic, can't remember the name of it right now though. **

**Well anyway, what do you think? Not much action but I don't want to rush anything. Have any of you any suggestion on what kind of martial arts Itachi should join? At the moment I have zero knowledge about it so I have to do a little research. Well, any help would be appreciated!**

**Please review and tell me what you think of the chapter!**

**Next chapter: **_Birthday and bonds_

**Gloriosa Lily**


	13. Birthday and bonds

**Here you have chapter twelve!**

**I thought I would've had more time this summer to write this fanfic but my summer job took nearly all my time. I am sorry for this as I promised more chapters but as it looks now it doesn't seem it will come true. **

**This chapter has now been updated as my Beta came back to life!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_You cannot prevent the birds of sorrow from flying over your head, but you can prevent__them from building a nest in your hair._

**Chapter 12**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously:** _When Harry joined the others, it was with smile on his lips, making the others slightly suspicious as they edged away. Harry only laughed happily and thought joyfully, 'this is my family, only mine.'_

* * *

Itachi sat on the window ledge and stared out with a content expression on his face. He hadn't felt this relaxed when he had lived in the elemental land. _'There was almost always something to be done, someone to fight or missions to finish,' _Itachi thought with slight grimace. A month had gone by since they had arrived, a whole month of peace, laughter and calm, not a single word of politics, death or violence. It was wonderful, Itachi decided. This was what he'd always wanted and searched for. Already, he'd started to see the manor as his new home. He felt no reason to return to Konoha, here Sasuke could grow up with stability and safety and here he would have the possibility to choose what he wanted to do when he grew older. Something Itachi never had himself.

He wondered if he would ever start to long for Konoha. It was after all his birthplace and he had nothing against the village, only his clan.

Itachi watched with lowered eyes and a small smile in amusement as Naruto and Sasuke bickering over breakfast, apparently both wanted the last pancake. Harry, Itachi noticed, sported a fond smile, but concealed it wisely behind the morning newspaper.

Here he could talk and spend as much time with his brother as he wanted. Harry didn't pressure him to do anything, even when he had healed and rested up from his fight, he hadn't mentioned any plans for the future. They had talked excessively about the younger children, though, and what they should be doing. Itachi agreed that Sasuke would benefit from going to school; at least it would give the child something to do and stay together with Naruto.

The news of school had been met with protests and grumbling, but the promise of training, if they did well in school, quieted them reluctantly. It was decided that they would enter the coming year. They were already a year behind, usually the children entered school in the age of five, but they could say they were home-schooled for the first year. It was only the beginning of June, so it gave them around three months to get them up-to-date.

Hopefully all three of them would be fairly fluent in the language when the time came around. Itachi cheated and used his sharingan to learn the language faster, though he was careful to hide it from the children, they would be jealous otherwise. He didn't kid himself into thinking that Harry wouldn't notice, sometimes Itachi wondered if the man had eyes like a hawk and ears like a bat.

Itachi wondered if anyone was missing him from Konoha. Only perhaps Shisui would miss him, but Itachi didn't even know if the older teen was alive. His loyalty to the Hokage was strong, the man had helped him when he couldn't trust anyone else, but Itachi didn't know if the man missed him any more than one would miss a useful soldier.

He didn't care if anyone else in the clan missed him. If the clan found out about his betrayal, they would, without a doubt, not hesitate to kill him, no matter that he was the clan heir.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasuke liked Naruto. He was fun, kind, loud and a bit annoying at times but overall he was the best friend he'd never had. He also knew that Naruto had another friend, Teddy, who he'd never met and they apparently were pretty close. Sasuke was a bit jealous of their friendship, thinking that Naruto was Teddy's best friend and not his. He tried not to think too much about it, knowing that his brother would know something bothered him and would then ask about it. Having never lied deliberately to his brother, he wasn't about to start now and he really didn't want to involve Itachi in this.

Still it wasn't easy to ignore the feeling. Sasuke didn't have many friends, he never spoke with people outside the clan and the children he usually played with were hand-picked by his parents because he was only allowed to play with the 'right kind'. Sometimes, Sasuke wondered why his father cared about who he played with when he didn't even care about his son enough to look at him.

So when he met Naruto, a person he himself decided to become friends with, Sasuke was very possessive of him. He disliked the thought that there was someone challenging him about Naruto's attention, even though he had never met the person called Teddy.

Sasuke remembered the day when his Nii-san and Harry-san had told him and Naruto that they wanted to be alone for an hour, so they would have to entertain themselves for a while. He and Naruto had moved into the younger boy's room and had sat there for a couple of minutes in absolute silence. Neither of them knew what to say and both were equally nervous.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Sasuke glanced at the other boy from the corner of his eye; he wondered if it were up to him to break the silence. He noticed that the other fidgeted slightly with his hands in his lap, perhaps he too was nervous?_

_The minutes ticked by and Sasuke begun to grow frustrated. What was wrong with him? He never was this nervous before when meeting new people. He searched for something basic to ask, something that would possibly start a conversation. An idea came to him._

"_How did you meet Harry-san?", Sasuke asked, glad that he had finally broken the silence. It was an innocent question, but it often required a longer answer. They said they were father and son, but anyone with eyes could see that they were completely different. One had bright hair and blue eyes while the other had dark hair and green eyes. Unless the other boy took after his mother in everything, then he was adopted. _

_Naruto's head snapped up from where he had gazed at his lap to the boy asking the question. He opened his mouth to answer, but when his brain caught up with his mouth, he closed it in sadness. He tried to remember how he'd meet his father, but the memories were vague with pain and sadness._

"_I….I don't remember really.", he finally whispered and chanced a look at the dark haired boy._

"_You don't remember? How can you not remember?", Sasuke said, a little irritated that his plan was foiled before it could even start. _

"_I just… remember waking up in a bed and that it didn't hurt anymore.", Naruto said while trying to repress his memories of his time before he met his father. He didn't want to remember it, he only wanted to look forward with his father._

"_I see.", Sasuke said, though he honestly did not. What did Naruto mean by hurt? Had someone hurt him?_

_The silence returned and Sasuke searched desperately for something to say. _

"_So, what happened afterwards then?", he blurted out in hope of chasing away the silence. _

_To his relief, the sunshine haired boy brightened up and a smile decorated his face. "Father took care of me and played with me! He also introduced me to Hedwig and Fawkes, who are really nice! Father showed me all kinds of cool things and told a lot of stories from his childhood. Then he talked to the old man and father adopted me, just like that. After that, we traveled around the country and saw a lot of cool stuff and met a lot of nice people."_

"_Oh.", Sasuke breathed out a little startled. The boy talked so fast, he could barely keep up with him, though it certainly filled the silence. "Wait, what old man?", he asked suddenly, interrupting Naruto's explanation of the environment in a small village they had stayed in._

_Naruto paused and blinked, startled out of his tirade, and then begun again. "The old Hokage, who else? You know, with the big hat and robe? He's always smoking that pipe of his."_

"_Wait, wait, you mean the Hokage in Konoha?", Sasuke asked with flabbergasted expression. _

"_Yeah of course, who else is there?", Naruto asked with a confused look._

"_Who else indeed..", Sasuke muttered to himself, then he paused for a second and gained a horrified expression. "You don't really say that to the man's face, do you? I mean, old man?", Sasuke asked slowly and clearly._

_Naruto looked even more confused for second, not understanding what was wrong. "Well, of course I do, what else would I call him?"_

_Sasuke's eye twitched as they both fell silent. Then after a moment, he seemed to compose himself. "You know what? Let's forget it, I don't care.", he said finally, with a defeated air. "So, you are from Konoha as well? I am from there too."_

"_Really? Cool!", Naruto smiled first in happiness, then faltered for a second. He didn't know why, but almost everyone in the village had hated him. Would Sasuke do that as well if he found out who he was? Naruto shook his head in dismay, Sasuke hadn't treated him like the village people did and he was fast becoming a friend, so he shouldn't think like that. Sasuke was nice, at least, that's what he knew from the short time they had spent together. _

"_So, do you want to be a ninja too?", Naruto asked with renewed energy._

_Sasuke perked up at the question. "Yeah! I want to be just as strong as Nii-san! He is awesome and super strong!", he boasted with satisfaction. He loved telling people about his brother and how strong he was. _

"_Really? Do you think he would teach me anything?", Naruto leaned forward in excitement. _

_Sasuke gained a sour expression. "I don't know, I have tried to get Nii-san to train me, but he would always come up with an excuse not to."_

_Naruto's posture slumped in disappointment. He knew that he would get training from his father, in fact they had already started a little, but that only involved meditation and book knowledge. Naruto wanted to learn ninja skills, like jutsus and awesome things like that._

"_Hey, Naruto?"_

"_Yeah?", Naruto said glumly, still a little upset about not getting any real ninja training, at least that's what he thought._

"_What's todays date?", Sasuke asked with a thoughtful look._

_Naruto looked up and thought hard for a moment. "Eh, I think it's the eighth of June. I am not sure, you will have to ask dad. Why?" _

"_The eighth!", Sasuke burst out with a panicked expression. "Nii-san's birthday is tomorrow! I haven't any presents for him or anything!"_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After that revelation, the two boys had bonded over the preparation of Itachi's birthday and, when they later told Harry of their plans, who promised to fix everything they needed, they had a hell of a time trying to keep the hasty made up plans a secret. There is nothing better than a secret to make two young people bond together, and in this case it worked like a charm.

Sasuke and Naruto never found out if Itachi had suspected anything, later that day at the dinner table, and if Harry knew if he did, he wasn't talking.

In reality, Itachi had suspected that something was up, with all the giggling and suspicious glances from both boys, it was hard not to notice something. One didn't have to be a ninja or a genius to figure it out. However, Itachi had totally forgotten that his birthday was just around the corner. In truth, with everything going on the last few months, no one could blame him for forgetting it. Still, Itachi had never received a normal birthday party, every birthday Itachi had been forced to entertain the elder council members in the clan and, during the whole time, it would be filled with talk of politics and other such things that didn't belong in a party for a young child.

When Itachi had come down to eat breakfast on the ninth of June, he had honestly not expected anything special. What greeted him at the breakfast table stunned him into silence. On the table was a small gathering of his favorite breakfast foods, tamagoyaki- a type of omelet, miso soup with white steaming rice, broiled salted salmon and countless other side dishes which made his mouth water.

But what really stunned him into silence was the cheerful and loud birthday greeting he received the moment he stepped into the room. Itachi couldn't stop his eyes from getting a little wet when it all sunk in, but he fought hard to not let anything show, though he knew that he hadn't fooled Harry.

He was, after sitting down, showered with presents. He got several drawings from both Sasuke and Naruto and some handmade prank items which Itachi thanked both boys so warmly that they blushed in embarrassment. From Harry, he got a box filled with miniature clothes, which made him frown for a second, wondering if he was pulling a prank on him, before he remembered that the man was a wizard and all the clothes could be enlarged. The small gift suddenly turned into a very large one because it wasn't just a few articles in the box. Itachi turned towards the elder man, not really knowing what to say, but settled for nodding and expression his gratitude with a deep bow.

After breakfast, Itachi was ushered to his room to change clothes and to prepare himself for a day outside. A little bewildered, Itachi did as ordered and pulled on a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. The materials were not ones he recognized, but considering that he was in another world it wasn't so strange. He pulled his hair into a high ponytail and then deemed himself ready. Oddly enough, he was strangely excited for some reason. His birthday, before, had never meant anything really, he'd been an adult since he had been six and had never enjoyed celebrating that he had survived yet another year. But this, this was different. He wasn't any longer in the elemental land. Here he didn't have any duties or responsibilities, except to take care of Sasuke, which he certainly didn't mind.

Perhaps he could finally test out how to be a teenager for the first time? He didn't really know how to be an ordinary teenager, but he was sure he could ask Harry for advice. Itachi decided to enjoy life a little before he once again would think about his future. Itachi didn't get to ponder anymore because the door to his room flew open and two excited boys dragged him down the stairs where Harry stood waiting, a understanding smile on his face when he met the teenager's eyes.

Itachi felt muscles he didn't know were tense relax suddenly. He wanted frantically to thank the older man for being there, for saving his life and his brothers', for understanding him even when no one else did and countless other things. But despite wanting to say so much, nothing would escape his lips. How could he express his gratitude in words? Words seemed too weak and no words could explain how he felt.

Luckily he was interrupted once again by the younger duo.

"It will be awesome! I can't wait to see-", Naruto was abruptly interrupted by Sasuke who had tackled him onto the floor.

"Idiot, don't spoil the surprise!", Sasuke gritted out between clamped teeth. Naruto immediately assumed an apologetic expression, which Sasuke only glared at.

Itachi observed the two with amusement. He was happy to see his brother interacting with the other child. Sasuke had always been a bright child, but lack of friends had begun to make him a little aloof. He was glad to see him lighten up and be a child for once.

Still, he was a bit curious what the 'surprise' would turn out to be. One look at Harry informed Itachi that he wouldn't get any help there. Though, after everything that the older man had done for him, Itachi didn't feel like he deserved any more.

"Harry-san, I am very grateful for everything you have done for me and my brother. I am satisfied by only just spending time with you all peacefully, so whatever you have planned isn't necessary on my behalf.", Itachi intoned with a respectful voice. It didn't sit right with him to only receive and take without giving something in return.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You don't really think that." The tone was confident and it made Itachi falter for a moment. "Well, we will be going whether you want to or not." Then Harry was all smiles and beamed at the three younger boys.

"We will be traveling by portkey-", he was interrupted by a whining protest from Naruto, who really didn't like that type of magical travel.

"Dad, I hate portkeys!" Naruto made a disgusted face, much to the older man's amusement. He had never liked portkeys either, but had learned to tolerate them with time.

Harry continued like Naruto hadn't said anything. "And we will be traveling a very long distance from here, so we need to stay together when we arrive. I don't want to be forced to run around to search for one of you. Is that clear?"

A chorus of 'yes, sir' answered him. Harry then held up a piece of paper and urged the others to grab a hold. He neglected to tell them that creating a portkey without permission was illegal and could get him in trouble. However, the manor was protected from others sensing any use of magic and Harry was an expert in hiding his magical aura so, if he would be forced to use his magic outside the manor, no one would be able to track him down.

The ability to hid ones magical aura was difficult to learn, many preferred to use an object instead, but Hermione and Neville had been united in the effort to make everyone learn to do it themselves. It was never safe to rely on objects which could easily be destroyed or stolen. The same reasoning had been used when they had tried to learn wandless magic, though sadly only Harry and Neville had had any luck in that.

When Harry was assured that everyone was touching the paper, he activated the portkey with a password. "Africa."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For four whole days, they travelled around the world, the first stop in South Africa to visit Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, where they got to see all kinds of different species of fish both large and small. The aquarium held all four spellbound by its beauty and they stayed there for almost a full day. Harry made a point in buying food that was typical for each place, wanting to widen the boy's experience in different cultures. A handy translating spell solved any communication problems.

Then they travelled on the next day to North America to a place called Ellis Bird Farm in Alberta. There, they got to observe a beautiful bird called a bluebird and stroll in the beautiful gardens and visit the Tea house to relax. Naruto and Sasuke lost interest very quickly as the day went on, but when they saw how much Itachi enjoyed himself and relaxed they kept their mouth shut, at least Sasuke did while restraining Naruto from making too much of a fuss. After sleeping in a four star hotel, they traveled on towards Egypt.

It was a shock to all four when they arrived, as the heat washed over them. A quick cooling charm made it easier to walk around however. There they visited the Valley of the Kings and strolled around into the graves, not only the ones that the muggles had discovered, but also the ones the magical people had found. The pyramids and the king's history kept the group entertained for a full day, but they all felt relieved when they left Egypt, the heat getting to them despite the cooling charm.

The last stop was in Las Vegas, Nevada where they visited the Grand Canyon. Harry arranged so they would fly with a helicopter so the boys would get the best possible view. All three boys loved it, both being so high in the air and the awesome sight they got.

When they arrived home to the manor, it was late at night and they were all exhausted, but very happy from the past four days. Harry himself was, in particularly, pleased with the mini vacation. He had traveled quite a lot with his friends before, but those trips were never for pleasure or fun. Most often the trips were to search for some rare book or knowledge only certain persons would know.

'_At least Itachi enjoyed himself_,' Harry thought with a gentle smile. Every time he'd met Itachi before, he'd seemed very stiff and aloof, but now one could see a clear change in the teenager. While he didn't smile openly or talk more freely, Itachi's whole body language seemed more relaxed and he'd made an effort in starting to talk instead of just waiting to answer someone's question. Harry couldn't be more proud.

Itachi had informed Harry, when they were at the bird farm, that Sasuke's birthday was coming up soon as well and he wanted to do something special for the boy. Luckily, both boys were somewhere else and Itachi and Harry had taken a stroll in the large beautiful garden so they could be uninterrupted and start to plan for a birthday party of sorts.

Well, Harry talked and Itachi listened and asked questions. While Harry wasn't an expert on birthday parties, thanks to his childhood with the Dursleys, he'd observed his cousin's parties a few times and cooked the food. Also, his friends had made a point in celebrating his birthday with extra vigor when they discovered that he'd never had a birthday party before. Those were happy memories which Harry held close to his heart.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It was the beginning of July that Harry decided, that if the two Uchiha brothers and Naruto would ever become fluent in English, they had to start seriously training. So Harry decided that only English would be spoken in the manor until they could talk well enough. He planned to inform the teachers that the children came from Japan and had only been in the country for a short time, but it would be better if they could at least make themself understood. Both Sasuke and Itachi had a hard time in the beginning like Harry had foreseen. Harry had taught Naruto English since he had become his father, so the change wasn't so bad for him, only when he wanted to describe something and he found words lacking to express himself.

Once a day, Harry gave the hard-working students a wit-sharpening potion to help them remember and memorize. It also helped them stay focused when he taught them and it made it more fun for him to teach as well.

The only exception Harry made was when he and Itachi had their nightly talks. The conversation was hard enough without forcing the poor teenager to speak in another language. Harry noticed more and more the effects the talks had on both of them. For himself, he slept better and much calmer than before. With every secret that Itachi revealed to Harry, it seemed like a huge burden lightened up a bit for the teenager, slowly, but surely.

When Harry decided that they were making good progress, he decided to invite the Lupin family. It would force them to talk more and practice their knowledge, plus he'd missed Remus and his family.

The second of July was the day Harry introduced his boys to the Lupin Family. Naruto and Teddy immediately hit it off and chattered on with a suddenly shy and wary Sasuke trailing behind them as they walked to Naruto's room. Itachi found himself fascinated by Tonks, unable to stop his brain to think out how he would be able to use the woman's ability. Think what one could do if more people could change their looks without using henge. With henge, there was always the possibility to be discovered by the enemy if they notice the use of chakra, but the woman's ability was completely natural and no other energy was used, no magic or chakra. _'Utterly fascinating,' _Itachi thought as he asked Tonks to demonstrate her gift.

Harry and Remus placed themselves in the kitchen where they could talk alone and uninterrupted. Remus immediately noticed that his godson had something on his mind and thus waited until the younger boy felt ready to speak. It only took a moment, but the house-elves had already prepared tea for both of them and placed a plate of biscuits in front of them before Harry spoke.

"I can't stay here." The tone was blunt and the meaning clear. Remus tensed as soon the words was said, but forced himself to relax.

"I knew you would say that.", Remus sighed into his cup of tea, it smelled like blueberries. "I know the only thing that is keeping you here are me and my family right now."

Harry bowed his head as if in shame. "I am sorry Remus. I just- I don't know anything anymore, at least it feels like it. Before I came back here I longed to come back but now I can't really appreciate it as much as I would like too. I am so restless for some reason I don't know. I mean, I love to spend time with you, Tonks and Teddy but-", Harry's shoulders slumped, "I don't know anymore."

Why couldn't he be happy with what he had for once, Harry grumbled to himself. He finally had a family, albeit a strange one, but a family nonetheless. Why did he feel like there was something missing still? It didn't make any sense. Perhaps he'd become greedy with how fast his family had suddenly grown? Eh, who was he kidding, the sugar monster in his head? Greedy was one of the last things Harry Potter were, anyone could attest to that.

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I am sorry Remus, dumping all this on you. You have done nothing wrong."

Remus shook his head and smiled sadly. "Harry, who else would you talk to? You know that I will always be there for you and always will, nothing will change that, ever."

Harry looked up and smiled weakly. "Thanks, Remus, perhaps I just need it off my chest."

"Yes, I can see that there is something else on your mind, Harry. What is it?", Remus asked.

Harry sighed deeply and pondered where he should begin. "After they- after they died, I didn't really live you know. I mean, I was obviously alive, but I didn't really live despite my promise to them. But anyway, when I was just about to hit the bottom of wherever I had sunk into, something called me back, just enough to keep me sane. I know that it just could've been my magic playing tricks, but it felt like something more. Like there was someone waiting for me and that I couldn't give up now."

Harry paused to take a sip of his warm tea to refresh his suddenly parched throat.

"And when I met Naruto and took him in, the feeling stopped for a while, like it was content with what it had found. Some days I wonder if it wasn't it that made me go to Naruto that day. Everything has been fine for a while now. For the whole year Naruto and I travelled and the half year we have been here not once has the feeling surface again, until just a week ago. That strange pull is back and it's stronger than ever, it's like an itch that never goes away. Please, Remus, tell me what to do." Harry looked painfully hopeful as he watched his honorable godfather.

Remus leaned back in his chair, a shocked expression on his face. It made Harry squirm and his worry to rise.

"Harry, I- this sound like a b-bond of sorts.", he managed to stutter out, eyes wide.

"A bond?", Harry asked, shocked as well.

"Yes, magical creatures have mates, not all of them though. For example werewolves and vampires don't, but creatures like fairies and high elves each have a destined mate. It's recorded that they will seek their mate out when they feel ready to bond, most likely when they reach adulthood and if they don't they will suffer from both depression and detachment of feelings. From what I know, no one has ever died from not mating with his or her mate, but they would never really be happy without their mate.", Remus paused to breathe and gather his thoughts.

"There hasn't ever been a mate bond with a wizard or witch, no one has been able to figure out why. But whatever you have feeling must be something similar, perhaps not a bond, but at least something that pulls you closer to someone else."

Silence reined in the room for a long moment. Both men fiddled with their cups of cooled tea, both deep in thought about the new information.

"Are you sure?", Harry asked with a weak voice, barely loud enough to be heard, but with Remus' superior hearing, it was not a problem.

"I can't be a hundred percent certain, of course, this has never happened before Harry. I just feel that I am right or that we are heading in the right direction at least."

Harry nodded numbly. A mate bond, huh. Never could anything be easy or ordinary with him. Harry hated that something forced him to like someone, but on the other hand, a being just for him and the knowledge that they were meant to be sounded wonderful in Harry's opinion. Perhaps she or he, Harry wasn't picky, would be a person that would fully understand him and love him for himself, just Harry who loved to travel and taste different kinds of foods, which he would later try to cook for himself if he liked it. Suddenly a thought hit him.

"Remus, I don't think my- my _mate_ lives in this dimension." Harry looked up and met the older wizard's eyes.

Remus sighed deeply and looked troubled. "Yes, I figured that. If this person was here, she or he would have found you already, at least I think so. Will you-", Remus swallowed to get rid of the lump in his throat choking him. "Will you leave soon?", he finally got out.

Harry looked down at the table, not really seeing it. He was silent for a moment before speaking. "No, no I won't. Not for a couple of years at least. Mostly because of Sasuke and Itachi, I couldn't do that to them after what happened."

Remus, after sighing in relief that he wasn't going to lose Harry all too soon, became curious at the mention of the Uchiha brothers.

"Those children Harry, they are from the elemental land correct?", Remus asked and, after Harry's nod in answer, he continued. "What happened to make them run away from there?" The concerned tone in his voice was obvious.

Harry hesitated for a moment, it was, after all, not really his story to tell to be honest. But he had to say something, if only to make Remus realize how much those boys, Itachi in particular, needed his help and support. So, he told Remus a heavily edited version of what Itachi had told him. He knew, however, that Remus suspected that he wasn't telling him everything, but the werewolf was fine with that. Well maybe not entirely fine, but he knew not to pry. After hiding his own condition for so long, he knew the value of secrets and when not to poke ones nose where it didn't belong.

Remus summed up what Harry had told him in one sentence. "So in the whole, Itachi and Sasuke were in extreme danger from both their family and outside enemies and you provided the help they needed."

Harry only nodded, pleased that Remus understood not to ask any more as he would not say anything else about the subject.  
**  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Harry and Remus spent the next hour talking about more pleasant topics, like Harry's trip with the boys on Itachi birthday and that Teddy had finally managed to transform his nose, making his mother extremely proud. They had just finished drinking their third cup of tea, this one with a strawberry aroma, when a loud bang was heard from the second floor.

Harry immediately stood up and rushed toward the stairs, intent on discovering what was going on. He noticed that Itachi and Tonks had exited the common room to see what was happening as well. The split second that he acknowledged the pair with a nod was all that was needed for a collision. Two of the children crashed with Harry where he stood on the third step on the staircase from below. He collided with them like a bowling ball taking out a couple of pins and the three of them tumbled down the steps onto the floor in a tangle of cursing arms and legs.

If Itachi, Tonks and Remus weren't afraid that someone had hurt themselves, they would've laughed themselves to tears. The scene was very amusing and entertaining as the three of them fought to untangle and stand up, without any success.

A bead of sweat trickled down Itachi forehead as he debated whether he should step in or not. In the end, he decided against it, none of them seemed to be harmed, only a little winded from the impact.

Harry finally stood up with a bruised pride and brushed the invisible dust off his clothes, as it was unlikely that the house-elves would allow any actual dust to exist in the house. He gave the two boys an irritated look and noticed that Naruto was nowhere to be seen. In front of him stood an angry Teddy and a clearly irritated Sasuke, when they finally composed themselves from the fall they immediately started to glare at each other, 'if only looks could kill' seemed to be translated in the stare contest.

"Well, will some explain to me what just happened, hmm?", Harry asked in a patient voice. A voice they should have known to be wary of.

The boys immediately tried to lay the blame on each other.

"It's his fault-"  
"I haven't done anything-"  
"He pushed me down-"  
"You were the one to-"  
"No, liar-"  
"I am not-"  
"Yes, you are-"

"Boys! BOYS!", Harry shouted to get their attention. "One at the time, please. Are you fighting over something?"

Itachi inched closer and watched his brother with hidden interest. He'd never seen his brother really act his age before. Not the in the way he was expressing himself now. He had his suspicion on what had happened, but wanted to hear what the two younger boys would say first.

It was silent at first, neither of the boys wanting to start. Harry tapped his foot on the floor and crossed his arms across his chest. The image prompted Teddy to start explaining, remembering his own father using the same stand when he'd done something naughty.

"Sasuke accused me of stealing Naruto.", Teddy said reluctantly and threw the younger boy a glare.

The adult turned their attention to Sasuke who stubbornly remained silent, staring at the floor with a hard expression.

Harry cleared his throat to get the boy's attention, but Sasuke remained stubborn. "Sasuke." The tone made Sasuke finally look up. "Explain, please."

"I-", Sasuke begun and subtly casted a glance at Itachi before deciding he didn't care that his brother was watching. "Naruto is my friend! Teddy tried to steal him away from me!", he burst out with anger.

Teddy whipped his head around to glare at Sasuke, ready to defend himself. "Naruto was my friend first! Not yours!"

"Boys, calm down.", said Harry in a soothing tone. However both boys expertly ignored him, their attention once again on each other.

"Naruto is my best friend! I won't let you take him!", Sasuke screamed.

"Naruto is my friend too! I bet that he wants to be with me more then with you!", Teddy sneered at the younger boy.

"Liar!", Sasuke shouted, this time with tears glittering in his eyes.

"Seriously?", groaned Harry, looking like he couldn't figure out what sin he was paying for. He rubbed his forehead, letting out a frustrating sigh. Why couldn't the boys just get along? He absently wondered why Remus or Itachi hadn't stepped in, but figured that they wanted to see what he would do first. Lazy bastards.

Raising a hand Harry bellowed out a "Silent!" which made the two fighting boys shut up like someone had fired a gun.

"Now first, where is Naruto? Why isn't he here and making his own opinion known?", Harry asked with irritation dripping from his tone. When no answer was forthcoming, Harry sighed again. "You forgot about him, didn't you?"

The shamefaced expression on the boys' faces answered him. Suddenly, both Teddy and Sasuke realized that they had been so caught up in their fight that they had ignored that Naruto had been in the room, like he hadn't existed.

Harry walked past the boys and climbed up the stairs without a word. He would leave the scolding to Remus, he had a son who probably needed comfort right now. As he neared Naruto's bedroom Harry could hear soft sniffles and sobs. Entering the room without knocking Harry took in the sight of his crying son.

Naruto sat on the bed, his arms around his knees as he tried to curl into a ball. His small shoulders shivered and his hands were white with the force he clenched them. Harry's heart broke a little at the sight, no one but him, and perhaps the Hokage, knew that Naruto was deep down a very sensitive child.

Before he had met Harry, Naruto had been forced to hide his hurt and sad feelings, only showing his positive emotions, knowing that if he revealed that the villagers' words and touches hurt him they would rejoice in it. Then he met Harry and he could finally relax and be a child, a child who showed when he was happy as well as sad.

Still, that trust only extended to Harry, his father and no one else. When he, Teddy and Sasuke had gathered in his room everything had been fine in the beginning. Sure, Sasuke had been a little tense, but Naruto chalked it up to that maybe meeting new people made Sasuke a little nervous.

Then Teddy had wanted to show him a new prank device he'd been working on. Since the two of them hadn't met for a month, both were brimming with ideas of new pranks. Naruto later wondered if Sasuke had been jealous when Naruto had turned his attention to Teddy because it wasn't long before Sasuke reacted afterwards. When petty insults begun between the two older boys Naruto felt both lost and confused.

Had he done something wrong? He liked both Teddy and Sasuke just as much. They were both his best friends in the world, was it wrong to have two best friends? Naruto hadn't ever heard it was and his father hadn't ever said so. If fact Harry had encouraged him to make friends when they spent time in the park before Sasuke and Itachi had arrived.

When the older boys, for some reason, ran out the door, Naruto had stopped listening to their bickering long ago, the sunshine-haired boy finally succumbed to his emotions and begun to cry. He didn't move since curling into a ball until he felt arms warping around him. Recognizing the scent of his father, he burrowed further into the man's embrace, feeling safe and protected.

Eventually he stopped crying and just relaxed against the broader chest. Harry, sensing the change, moved away a little to look at the child.

"Naruto? Are you alright?", he asked softly and carded his hand through the blond hair.

Naruto sighed contently at the touch. "Yeah, I just- why can't they just get along? I don't understand."

Harry hummed gently and carefully chose his words. "Do you remember when we visited the Land of Birds, hm?"

Naruto nodded, wondering where his father was going with this.

"Well, do you remember the cat you found? The little black colored one who you named Ramen?"

Naruto nodded again, this time remembering the cute kitten he'd found when he'd played in the forest before they had entered the village in the land. He'd begged his father to let him keep the kitten and, to his joy, he'd gotten his wish.

"Do you recall what happened with the cat?", Harry hedged, wanting Naruto to think and realize it himself.

"Yes, some mean kid stole it from me and I hit him in the face. You yelled at me for that." Naruto pouted for a moment before a thought hit him. "You said I was jealous because the cat was actually his and not mine and it made me act out, did the same happen to Teddy and Sasuke?" He turned his eyes to his father.

Harry smiled proudly at his smart child, making said child blush. "Yes, you are correct. Do you know what Teddy and Sasuke were jealous of?"

Naruto thought for a moment before speaking. "Me?" he asked unsurely.

Harry nodded. "Yes, they wanted you for themselves, like you wanted Ramen to stay only with you."

Never before had anyone fight over his attention and, as such, he didn't know how to react.

"But why, Daddy? Can't I be best friends with both of them? I like both Teddy and Sasuke. Teddy is really funny and cool, and Sasuke is very smart and knows a lot. Is it wrong to be friends with both of them?", Naruto asked anxiously.

"Ah, Naruto, you have done nothing wrong. One can have many friends and best friends, there is no limit, the more the better I'd say. This is something Teddy and Sasuke will have to realize and fix themselves and, remember Naruto, you have done nothing wrong, understood?" Harry tightened his arms around his child, it had been awhile since Naruto had called him Daddy.

"Okay Daddy.", Naruto said, looking a little reassured.

When Harry and Naruto later came down to the kitchen they found the rest of family there. Both Sasuke and Teddy apologized to Naruto, looking like they really meant it and were truly sorry for making Naruto sad. Naruto accepted it with an easy smile, glad that the fight was over. While Sasuke and Teddy didn't like each other, they would try to get along for Naruto's sake.

Both Harry and Naruto wondered what Remus had said and done to make the boys understand and apologize so sincerely. In the end, they never did find out what he did, though it didn't really matter as long the peace was maintained in the house.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For a while, the strange pulling sensation didn't bother Harry, like it was satisfied that Harry had accepted that it existed and that he planned to do something about it, even if it wasn't right at that moment. Harry didn't miss it and tried not to think about it too much. Instead, he focused on the boys and their training. They were coming along in English and the frequent visits from the Lupin family helped them immensely.

Harry had browsed a bit on the internet before he started to teach Sasuke and Naruto in school subjects. Harry was pleasantly surprised that neither of the boys were behind much, Sasuke had been taught to write and read at home and Harry had taught Naruto on their travel when they had had the time. Of course, for Sasuke it was another language, but with a little help by potions and spells both boys were coming along nicely.

Harry and Itachi had also begun to scope out the martial arts dojos and schools. Itachi wanted one which didn't focus on brute force or aggressive temper but one that could give him a peace of mind. As of yet they hadn't found any that Itachi could even consider so the search would continue.

But when Harry was finally at peace and relaxed like never before, the dreams started to haunt him. It didn't really leave him exhausted or tired at all, like his many nightmares did, but greatly confused and irritated.

_Harry was almost sure that he was asleep. He remembered going to bed after tucking both Naruto and Sasuke into their beds with a kiss on the forehead and then saying goodnight to Itachi. However, right now, Harry was unsure if he was having a very realistic dream or if he was awake without being aware of it. He was sitting in a chair next to a large window showing many trees and a bright blue sky. It was silent in the room, a bedroom Harry noticed when he looked around, but it was a peaceful silent and it oddly soothed his soul._

_He was relaxed like never before, even though he didn't recognize the room or the scene outside. He felt a strange emotion bubbling in his chest and, after he thought about it for a moment, he recognized it. He felt safe, like he finally had arrived home after a very long and difficult journey. _

_Absently he wondered were his boys were, Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi. An unknown emotion spiked in his chest, as if to remind him of something. Had he forgotten anyone? He thought hard and a vague vision appeared before his eyes, all dim and hazy. There was someone big and tall and a smaller person that Harry almost guessed was a girl, but something told him that was wrong for some reason, a boy then. _

_Neither of them made him feel defensive, not even the large one, which was odd because Harry always became wary when meeting men bigger than himself, curtsy of his Uncle Vernon's treatment when he was young. He felt that those two were special and his heart reached out to them. Harry shook slightly, a little startled to feel such strong emotion for people he didn't know or had never met. Or had he?_

_Harry felt confused. He leaned back against the chair and puffed out a deep breath. Somehow, he knew those two and he also, instinctively, knew that they needed him as much as he needed them. The black haired man looked out the window, wishing it could give him the answers he sought after. _

_A sudden tug on his magic snapped Harry out of his thoughts and his attention turned to the only door in the room that he only now noticed. How strange. His feelings spiked with anticipation, he didn't know what, but something or someone was coming closer. Harry almost vibrated in his chair, but refrained from standing up._

_Just as he felt like he would explode if he had to wait anymore, the handle to the door turned down and the door swung open. Harry only got a glimpse of white bandage, a black shirt and brown hair before he was rudely awakened…..-_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

-by a voice that certainly didn't belong in the dream.

"Father, FATHER! Wake up! You promised to train me and Sasuke today.", Naruto whined, sitting on his father's bed, six a clock in the morning.

Harry, when informed of the time, grumbled and rolled over taking Naruto with him and burrowing down under the sheets again, determined to sleep a few more hours. Naruto, despite his energy, fell asleep quickly. Harry tried to ignore the dream, while he wanted to know how his future mate looked like, he felt like if he knew then nothing would stop him from seeking him out. He had his boys to think of now, he couldn't be selfish and do whatever he wanted.

Naruto and Sasuke needed to know how to protect themselves first, he wouldn't let them return unprepared. It would take a few years before he would feel like they were ready to go back, so even if he would have to suffer from the pulling sensation and the occasionally dream that made him want to scream, Harry would hold on and wait.

Thankfully it didn't take long for Harry to fall asleep again, this time without dreams or nightmares plaguing his sleep.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

At the same time, in the elemental land, a man with white bandaged hiding his face with brown hair and wearing a black shirt awoke from a dream of seeing a dark-haired man with stunning green eyes.

It was silent outside the man's tent, the sun slowly beginning to rise and light the day. For some reason no animals were heard, not even birds. The dream left an odd longing that swept through the man at the thought of the mysteriously man. It was strange, he was sure that he'd never seen the man before in his life and still he wanted him like no one else before.

A vicious grin spread across the brown haired man's face, hidden by the bandage. Because after all, what he wanted, he got.

All that he had to do was to find him, the rest would solve itself, and it always did. He was still alive after all.

* * *

**So, exciting ending?**

**I skipped the part where Remus disciplined Teddy and Sasuke because I have no experience in scolding kids so I was a loss there, but it turned out fine anyway right?**

**We will see more of dream Harry and dream Zabuza so sit tight! Harry and company will not travel back to the elemental lands yet but I will not go into details about the boys' growth, only snippets of it. I hope that will be okay?**

**We will also read a little about Zabuza in the next chapter, I haven't decided how much just yet, but he will be mentioned at least. Look forward to it. **

**If you have any question about the bond I will be happy to clear it up for you, though I will not tell all about it, that would reveal too much of the story.**

**Next chapter: **_Training_

**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**


	14. Training

**Hello everyone!  
I proudly present you the 13 chapter.**

**Thank you so much for the review for the previous chapter, THANK YOU. I am frankly amazed at the positive response I have received while writing this story. Never would I have thought that I would write thirteen chapters, without anybody threatening me at least. I started to write this story more on a whim than anything else. But now it had become a pride for me, I will finish this story no matter how long it will take. My first two stories were more of a test, to see how my writing was in English and such but now I am starting to feel a little more confident, even if I still need to relay on Beta's to check so everything looks alright. **

**With the twelfth chapter we finally reached the hundred thousand word line, which made me feel all excited and ridiculously proud of myself. With that I want to celebrate with starting this chapter with a character we will see more of later on in the story. I hope you all readers like it! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. _

**Chapter 12**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

**Previously: **_All that he had to do was to find him, the rest would solve itself, and it always did. He was still alive after all._

* * *

It was a quiet and peaceful morning in the small village, which was located in the middle of the Lightning country. In the early morning, few people were up and about, mostly elders that always awoke with the sun, much to the younger generations bemusement. The village was a small one, only a few hundred people lived there, but it had a steady income with traveling merchants and tourists who wanted to visit the famous natural hot springs nestled in the mountains not far from the village.

The village was quite lucky when it came to bandits and thieves, the location made the place moderately secure with a large mountain that protected the village's back and sides. The only way into the village was from the front, unless one wanted to climb the mountain, which took a week to arrive to the top of and only then to discover that it was impossible to climb down to the village because the mountain side was smooth like a baby's skin. If anyone was a foolish enough to try to glide down the side, he or she would be met with a gruesome death in form of metal spikes when reaching the bottom.

Ninjas didn't bother the village either because they never hired them, preferring to only use samurais if they needed help. While they didn't hold any dislike for ninjas, they found that samurais held more morals and common sense than their ninja counterpart's. It was more of a politic move to not bring the attention of one of the hidden ninja villages, though a ninja village wouldn't find any use of a small place like theirs, but they didn't want to take the risk anyway.

If they came by a ninja, they were treated like any other travelers and, because of this, the village had prospered for the many years that it had existed. The people were happy and content and they wanted to remain that way.

So when a large man with a gigantic sword on his back entered the small village, naturally everyone became uneasy, though they still tried to treat him like anyone else. The adults in the town didn't need to warn their children to stay away from the man, the man's chilling aura made everyone inch away on their own. The man paid for a room to stay for a couple of days and, every time he was seen in the market, he carried the large sword.

When a couple of days went by and nothing happened, the villagers started to relax, perhaps they had been too judgmental after all. The man was seen all over the place in the village, not just the hot springs, but everywhere. It made the villages understandingly curious, but they held their tongue, it wasn't their business what the man did unless he hurt someone or destroyed something.

Then, one week later after the man had arrived, he went from being indifferent and aloof to being angry and impatient. Suddenly, when the man walked by a shop selling books, he grabbed ahold of the man owning the building in a bruising grip, a terrifying expression on his face.

"Where is he? Where is the man with green eyes and wild black hair? Tell me!", the man spat in the terrified salesman's face.

"I don't know who you are talking about, I swear, I don't know!" The other man was so tall that the salesman was hanging in the air.

"Don't bullshit me! I know he was here! Where is he?", the man growled and his grip tightened dangerously.

"I don't know anyone with green eyes. None of the villagers here have it!", the salesman said desperately, afraid for his life.

By now everyone on the market street had gathered to see what was going on. There was a hushed silence as no one was brave enough to step in. There were currently no samurai in the village and, even if there was one, the villagers doubted that he would have been able to do anything anyway.

"Then he isn't a villager, fool! Now tell me if you have seen a man with green eyes and black hair. And don't lie, I will know if you do." The larger man shook the poor man in an attempt to shake the answer out of him and scowled fiercely.

"I don't know, I don't know, I promise!" The salesman cried out, feeling his fear taking over and his heart hammering in his chest.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd spoke up, it was clearly a female voice that sounded both scared but determined to help.

"There was someone like that here, a tourist that passed by five months ago, he had a young child with him. He isn't here anymore, though, I don't know where they traveled afterwards." The female speaking stepped out from the crowd and revealed to be quite a cute one with long dark hair and smooth skin. Her stance was confident, but her eyes exposed her fear for the terrifying man.

The man, possibly ninja by the appearance, eyed the woman with a skeptical look. Finally it seemed that he came to a decision and dropped the salesman, who fell to the ground in a heap and immediately started to crawl away from the dangerous man, too terrified to try to stand up. The man snorted at the cowardly act and simply turned around to walk away from the crowd of people.

Everyone was silent until the villagers saw with their own eyes that the man stepped out of the village and out of their lives. As soon as the man disappeared, a low chatter spread among the crowd, the name _Zabuza the demon_ hung in the air like bad breath.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sound of pens scratching against papers filled the Common room. Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi sat patiently at the table in the room and wrote different words that Harry had previously shown them. Sitting on a sofa, Harry read the newspaper while waiting for the boys to finish their lesson. He suspected that Itachi was in reality already done with his, but waited for the young boys to finish theirs.

The one time that Itachi had shown that he'd finished way before them had left the two boys restless and impatient, not a good mood to be in when trying to learn a language. So instead, Itachi trained on other words and then sentences to make it look like he wasn't done.

Harry flipped the paper idly, bored out of his mind. He had found that he liked to teach, but not the moments it was silent like this, the boys working on their own, leaving him to his own thoughts. Perhaps he should start to plan Sasuke's birthday? Would Sasuke also like to travel around, to more fun places perhaps? He had two weeks left so he had time to talk with Itachi about it. Harry wanted to invite the Lupin family, but it was still a little strained between Sasuke and Teddy, so it might not be the best of ideas. Still, that could change in two weeks, children could adapt pretty fast.

'_If the boys work hard today, then they deserve to have a desert to today.'_, Harry thought absently and turned a page without concentration on what was written. Harry and Itachi had earlier that day promised to begin training the boys in the ninja arts after lunch, much to their joy.

Most likely, Naruto and Sasuke thought that they would immediately learn powerful jutsus, but in reality they would only work on their reflexes and stamina. After all, they weren't mature or grown enough to handle any jutsus yet. Harry couldn't wait to see their faces when they realized it.

Thankfully, both Sasuke and Naruto were coming along fine in both writing and speaking English, which eased some pressure off the boys. Harry didn't think any of them would be far behind their future peers. Though he was a little concerned for Itachi, the boy was too old to be sent to school without the knowledge it required. Harry had started to notice in the last few days that the young teen had begun to feel a little restless with doing nothing except learning to speak and write English. Most likely, Itachi was so used to moving all the time that being locked up in the manor was strange and stifling for him.

They had started to visit different dojos to find a form that fitted Itachi, but Harry wanted something more for Itachi, to not always train and fight. Harry glanced over the pages to observe the children working diligently on their tasks. Itachi had begun to subtly help the younger two when they were stuck on some word or needed help pronouncing it.

Harry got a thoughtful expression on his face as he continued to watch Itachi help the other two. Itachi seemed to be good at teaching and gave the impression to enjoy it to some extent. Now there was a thought, Harry mused to himself, would Itachi like to teach martial arts to students? While it still involved training and fighting, it gave a whole different perspective on the subject. Teaching young to find discipline and the concentration to be able to learn complicated martial arts practices wasn't easy and it required a lot of patience and understanding that every student was different from one another and so required different methods to learn effectively.

'_Maybe I am on to something here.'_, Harry thought and resolved to speak with the young genius later in the day. It was, after all, Itachi's decision if he wanted to do it, but personally Harry thought it would fit him.

The quiet atmosphere was broken by Naruto who let out a loud sigh and flopped backwards to stretch. Harry smiled fondly at his son.

"Are you done, son?", he asked quietly to not disturb Sasuke who worked on diligently, totally ignoring Naruto's antics. Itachi concentrated on his own paper to give the two a moment alone.

"Yeah, I am hungry dad.", Naruto whined and a rumbling sound let out from his stomach making him blush slightly.

"I see.", Harry said and looked at the clock on the wall. "The elves should be done with the lunch in ten minutes."

"But I am hungry now." Naruto creased his mouth into a pout. Harry only smiled at his son and stayed quiet.

A few minutes went past before Sasuke uncurled from his sitting pose at the table, a telling satisfied smirk on his face that told the others that he was done with his work as well. Only a moment later, Itachi laid down his pen on the table, signaling that he too was done, just before a soft bell was heard, which meant the lunch was ready.

Harry stood up from the armchair and banished the paper he'd tried to read. "Alright boys, go wash your hands before eating." With a little grumbling from the two younger boys his order was followed. Itachi only raised an eyebrow in answer to the order, before humoring the older man, and Harry pretended he hadn't seen it.

The lunch consisted of a delicious chicken salad with garlic dressing and freshly baked bread sticks. Naruto and Sasuke threw the food into their mouths, because the faster they ate, the faster they could begin to train to become a ninja. Itachi and Harry could only shake their heads at the boys and calmly eat their own food at a more sedate pace, knowing that the boys would finish before them and would have to wait for them to be done anyway.

After much whining and begging from Naruto and Sasuke for the two elder men to finish sometime today, the group gathered outside in the yard. The yard was as big as three soccer fields, of course, magic making it bigger and hidden from the non-magical eyes, made it perfect for the thing Harry and Itachi planned on making the boys do.

However, what the boys didn't know was that Harry planned on participating because he needed to build up his own stamina and reflexes. While the wizard had been in top condition under the war, he had spent three years imitating a sack of potatoes in the manor and it made his hard-earned strength wane and he hadn't trained seriously when he traveled in the elemental land. The first two years, when he traveled alone, he was just beginning to discover the joy of life again and then later, when in the company of Naruto, he hadn't had the time to focus on himself. Taking care of the brat was a full time job alone.

He had some muscles to build up again. He may never become as fit as the shinobi, like in the elemental land as they had different body structure after all, but he could damned well try. At least the children would enjoy seeing him work and sweat alongside them.

Naruto and Sasuke gave Harry an odd look when he exited the backdoor and entered the garden dressed in sports shorts and a tight t-shirt. However, they dismissed it when they saw Itachi trailing behind him, because while they knew that Harry was strong with his magic, he wasn't a ninja and Itachi was, and a famous one on top of that.

Itachi's lips twitched at the expectant looks he got from the boys and steeled himself for the whining he would receive soon enough.

"Ne, ne Nii-san, what will you teach us first? A fire jutsu? A earth jutsu?", Sasuke asked eagerly while Naruto bounced on his feet, barely able to contain his energy.

Itachi sighed before answering, opting for a blank but, to some degree, stern expression. "What I will teach you first is how to build up your stamina and endurance, then stretching exercises and perhaps in a few weeks, if you do well, start to show you the beginnings of the academy taijutsu."

The silence that followed was stifling, Harry barely could contain his laughter at the two dumbfounded expression the two young boys sported. Soon enough, Naruto shook himself out of his shock and voiced his protests.

"But that's lame! I want to learn awesome jutsu's!" He would have continued, but subsided when he got the 'look' from the older teen. Naruto didn't know how he did it or when his dad taught him it, all he knew was that it worked.

Itachi continued like Naruto hadn't said anything, absently noticing that Sasuke still seemed somewhat shocked. "We will start with running. I want you to run around the yard ten times. I don't want to see any of you lazing around, if you do, I will add an extra two laps as punishment."

With a fair amount of grumbling and whining, this time from both the boys, they started to run with Harry behind them. Itachi kept careful watch and seated himself against the house wall where he could see them all the time. Because they couldn't train together like this for longer than a few months, they would need more individual training later on, Itachi observed them carefully to see what each of them lacked.

Naruto clearly lacked the concentration and attentiveness that was needed to learn the more time-consuming technique such as chakra-sensitivity and tracking without using one's eyes. Right now, while running, that child was only concentrating on finishing the laps fastest and being first, not saving any energy so that he would be able to finish the laps in the first place. Instead, Naruto had an enormous well of chakra to his advantage, Itachi was, however, a little suspicious of it, it wasn't normal that such a young child had so much of it, not to mention an average adult either. It was something the young man knew he needed to ask Harry about, but he was reluctant to do it. Itachi had a theory already about it, but was weary of actually getting it confirmed to be the truth or not. However, the young ninja knew that he had to know if he was going to train the child to the best of his abilities.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had the concentration and patience which was needed, but lacked the self-confidence to move out and test new things to improve. He would rather learn exactly how to do it and then follow to the letter, quite the opposite from Naruto, Itachi had learned from their studies with Harry. Sasuke, at the moment, was a bit behind Naruto in the running, seemingly taking his own pace, but Itachi could see that it was hard for the child to maintain the speed in which Naruto had set from the beginning, clearly he did not have the stamina Naruto possessed. Sasuke had the normal store of chakra for a child his age, but Itachi suspected he would end up with more than average when he grew older, simply because of his genetics.

Then Itachi turned his gaze to the oldest in group. The man had already found his pace, two minutes in the running, in which he could hold for a longer period and so conserved energy for longer runs. Itachi approved whole heartily. That was something he needed to teach the children, it was a necessary skill to have in the ninja business. Missions could last for weeks or months and one need to know how to conserve energy and know when to use it wisely. To be a ninja meant to be alert and ready to fight at any moment.

Itachi could clearly see that Harry had previous training, even if it was a while ago he sharpened his skills. He knew that he could give the man a few tips to a more effective training and to faster build up his strength again, but first he needed to know what the wizard wanted. Did he want to become stronger in muscles, faster at running, faster reflexes or more agile? As the man didn't need any training in jutsus, since the man couldn't use them, it left them a little more time to hone his body.

Soon, two panting boys and one lightly breathing adult stopped next to Itachi. He let them take a quick breather and a chance to take a sip of water, before continuing to give instructions. After doing thirty sit-ups, twenty pull-ups and twenty knee-jumps, Itachi made them run ten laps again before calling it quits.

Both Naruto and Sasuke grumbled about doing boring exorcises that were meaningless, but were too tired to do anything else then complain with their voices. Itachi only smirked at the two, knowing it would be some time before he would start teaching them about the basic jutsu's such as Bunshin no Jutsu, Kawarimi no Jutsu and Henge no Jutsu. Perhaps both boys would know and be able to use them before their seventh birthday if they advanced as he expected they would.

Still, even that would be an accomplishment if one compared them to their peers in the elemental land and in Konoha.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Later that same day, just after training, Harry and Itachi sat down in the Common room to talk alone. Naruto and Sasuke had both sleepily made their way up to their rooms to get a short nap, their bodies not used to the training yet. Itachi suspected that after a week he would need to increase the training if he wanted to challenge the boys.

Itachi brought a glass of water from the kitchen, feeling a little thirsty while Harry, on the other hand, ordered a glass of fire-whisky to be brought to him from a house-elf. The little elf gave him a disapproving stare as he gave him the glass though refrained from saying anything, which Harry interpreted that the creature disliked him drinking in the middle of the day. When Harry turned around to face Itachi, he was met with an equally disapproving stare from the young teen as well.

"Oh come on! It's just a glass, hardly anything really.", Harry burst out in dismay, feeling like they were both against him.

Itachi only stared some more before giving him a neutral look and snorted lightly.

Harry sneered some and demonstratively took a sip of his whisky, childishly proving to himself that no one could come between him and his alcohol. Harry shuffled slightly in his seat, a little bit uncomfortable with the silence after a couple of minutes.

"So, I have been thinking a bit.", Harry started, looking into the fireplace where the fire sparkled merrily despite being in the middle of the summer. Oddly enough, it didn't give away any heat, so it was just pretty to look at, Harry silently marveled at the house-elves magic. "Thinking about what you would like to do when Naruto and Sasuke head out for school, I mean. I was watching you earlier in the day and, when you helped the boys out with their lesson, you seemed to like it quite a lot. Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't teaching students in martial arts be something for you to do, besides your own training of course?"

Itachi thought over what Harry had said and nodded slowly after a short moment. "I suppose that doesn't sound so bad, I do enjoy too teach a little. But why would any parents let their children be taught by a fourteen old unknown stranger? Doesn't it require any evidence or proof that I am who I say I am and that I could actually teach something?"

Harry waved it off with his hand as one would a fly. "That's nothing that you have to worry about. All papers and such I can take care of and you will be famous as a genius soon enough. I do not think that any style will be too difficult for you to learn. Also, if you learn martial arts in another country or city, then you can teach here without anyone knowing that you were a beginner just a few months ago."

Harry paused and thought deeply for a minute, an idea coming to him. Itachi remained silent, a bit overwhelmed that the man wanted to help him so much without asking for anything in return, except being like a family, which Itachi certainly had no problem doing.

Harry continued speaking after getting his thoughts in order again. "If you want to pretend that you are not a total newbie, you could say to have been home-schooled for a bit. All you have to do is to observe your chosen dojo to learn, I know that your skills in the ninja arts will make you invisible and undetected. It would make it seem believable that a fourteen could become so skilled in such short time if he had some training beforehand after all."

"Also, as we have said before, we will claim that you and Sasuke come from Japan and it wouldn't be strange at all if there was someone in your family that was prominent in martial arts. It wouldn't be peculiar that he or she would teach you some if you had showed some interest in it."

Itachi nodded in agreement, it would sound better if he said that he'd had some training previously if he wanted to climb quickly in the ranks to be able to teach if he wanted too.

Itachi decided to speak up. "Still, I haven't chosen a style yet. I have a few on my mind, but none that fit my previous training in taijutsu. The Uchiha taijutsu relies heavily on agility and speed so I want to find something similar at least."

"Take your time Itachi, there is no hurry after all.", Harry said with a small smile, relaxing into his armchair to take a deep swallow of his drink, feeling the burn make its way down his stomach. With a satisfied grin on his face, he sighed deeply, he knew he was one of few wizards that could hold his alcohol when it came to fire-whisky, perhaps nothing to be proud of, but it had been something he and Ron had teased each other about, so it brought positive memories to him if he ignored the years after that they had died.

Itachi nodded slowly and allowed a small smile to twist his face. "Thank you, Harry. I appreciate it." There had never been a time that someone had said to him to take it easy and feel after what he really wanted to do. Itachi felt himself relax into his armchair and took a small sip of his cold water.

The comfortable silence between the two of them continued on for a few hours until the sound of feet running down the stairs broke it. Obviously, both Naruto and Sasuke had awoken from their nap and were ready to carry on the day.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

They established a routine, with doing various exorcises in the mornings with Itachi and then doing studies with Harry in the afternoon after lunch. The newly established family found comfort in the routine and it made them feel like more of a real family. The only thing that broke the routine was visits from Teddy and occasionally the whole Lupin family.

Then, with only one week left to Sasuke's birthday Harry and Itachi started to plan what to do. Knowing that Sasuke had loved traveling around, as they had done on Itachi birthday, they decided to do it again, a four-day trip to different countries. However, they knew that Sasuke valued different things then Itachi, so new places had to found and researched.

Having no computer in the manor, as the magic Harry and the house-elves used would interfere with it, Harry and Itachi was at a crossroad. Last time, when Harry selected where to go with Itachi, he had already been there before with the others several years before. With Sasuke, however, he would like to go to more fun places, like a zoo or amusement park, which Harry had no greater knowledge of as he had never visited these places himself, neither as a child nor as an adult.

When he had celebrated his birthday with Hermione, Luna, Ron and Neville, they had traveled into jungles and wandered around in different climates, as such, Harry had experienced all kinds of weathers and conditions. It had been a treasured experience Harry had come to realize, something he wanted to give to his newly created family as well.

Harry resolved to speak with Remus, as he surely would have some suggestions he could use. Luckily, the man was scheduled to visit in a few hours and then Itachi could set the boys on some training before joining them.

Harry stretched while lying on his bed, the sunlight peeking in from the closed curtains. Harry felt like he had only laid down so sleep, still exhausted from the day before. But mostly, he knew that it was because of the still coming dreams which had plagued him for weeks now. They frustrated him to tears sometimes.

While he wanted them to stop and to leave him alone, he wanted to keep dreaming to finally get a real glimpse of his future potential mate, despite knowing that if he knew how the man looked, he would stop at nothing to find him. He had many good logical reasons to stay where he was, with his boys, but his heart and emotions wanted to find his mate to complete the family. Harry let out a grumbling sound before rising out of the bed and wandering into the bathroom to shower.

Harry knew that he would be forced to shower again after his morning training, but it didn't bother him. After living with the Dursley's, where he was forbidden to shower too often and never with warm water, he relished the freedom to be able to shower how many times as he liked and how warm he wished. Small luxurious things like that made Harry think sometimes about his childhood, but he stubbornly always pushed it away. He was free now and he was never stepping a foot into the Dursley's household again.

When he arrived down to the kitchen to get his morning coffee, he noticed all the boys were seated at the table already, making him the last to arrive. However, both Naruto and Sasuke looked like they were sleeping in their breakfast while Itachi enjoyed his tea and the silence.

Muttering a faint good morning, Harry sat down and took a few sips of his coffee to wake him up. Only Itachi greeted him back as the two boys hadn't noticed that he had arrived. The silence continued for a few minutes, Harry managing to both eat two sandwiches and drink two cups of coffee before Naruto and Sasuke woke enough to eat and talk.

While the boys started chattering between each other, Harry caught Itachi glancing at him with a concerned stare. Harry sighed to himself, he supposed he would need to tell Itachi soon about his dreams and the whole mate thing soon. He knew he had black marks under his eyes, and that they had been there for some time now. Most likely Itachi knew that as well, no matter how hard Harry had tried to hide it. Harry grumbled to himself, how does one explain to a fourteen year old kid that he had a life-mate if he could find him?

The day dragged on and soon Remus was coming to visit. Neither Tonks nor Teddy could come because they were sick with some wizarding flu or something. Remus was immune to it because of his condition, Remus used to joke about it, that at least his ailment brought some usefulness and not only misery. Harry and Itachi spent a few hours discussing options about Sasuke birthday before going over to what was happening in the wizarding world.

Apparently the new Minister, Konrad Rother, was a pathetic minister when it came to taking important and changing decisions. His motto seemingly was, if something had worked before, then it can work again. It made changing the wizarding world even harder and there were many that wanted to take a step forward to come closer to their non-magical cousins' level. Well, according to Remus, it was a mess and he, being a werewolf, was unable to do anything about it. While it had become better for the werewolves, like getting permission to hold a job and get married and siring children, they still had no say when it came to the political stage and decisions regarding the law.

Another thing that had changed, much to Harry's surprise and enjoyment, was that the Daily Prophet had been shut down by a public vote. Apparently, when the people realized that Dumbledore and Harry were speaking the truth about Voldemort being back, they knew that the newspaper had slandered and lied right up in their faces, most likely being controlled by the Ministry. So in an effort to get a paper that wrote the truth, they gathered and made the Prophet shut down and resurrected a new newspaper, the Daily Oracle.

So far, the paper had behaved itself and only written truths with proof and facts behind its articles. Harry wondered how long that was going to last. He also learnt from the older man that the goblins were becoming restless and irritated with the attitude the ministry was treating them with. Harry wasn't the least a bit surprised, there was a reason there had been so many goblin wars in the past after all. _'Really, the wizards should know better.'_, Harry thought to himself, the goblins took care of the economy in the wizarding world, should one really upset the ones who handled all their money?

There would be chaos if the goblins disappeared one day, wizards didn't know a thing about managing money the way the goblins could.

Remus had also warned Harry to not use too much magic if he could. While no one would think it was odd that an adult was using magic in the middle of London, there could, however, be someone that checked where the magic was being used. If someone did that, they would also notice that the person's magical aura was hidden and the exact location impossible to discover. It could make them curious and it could lead to more, which Harry certainly didn't want to.

Luckily, the type of magic that was used to trace the use of magic was only granted to a few people in the ministry and very few even knew that it existed. Still, Remus wanted the young wizard to be careful, just in case. He knew how much Harry cherished his privacy and Remus was certain that if anyone found out that Harry Potter had returned to Britain and London, there would be mass panic to find out just exactly where the hero lived.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Not long after Remus left the manor, Harry decided to turn in early. He had felt tired the entire day and wanted nothing more than to sleep eight hours straight, preferably without those pesky dreams. When he said god night to the boys, they all watched him with concerned eyes, noticing how tired the older man looked despite being only seven in the evening.

Itachi silently hoped that Harry wasn't sick and just tried to hide it from them. When he'd awoken from his typical nightmares, which happened every now and then, though not as often as usual, Itachi would often wander past Harry's door and nearly every time there would be a soft light coming from the room or there would be missing the sound of the elder sleeping. Itachi could understand that the older man didn't want to speak about his nightmares if he had them, he himself didn't want too, but when they affected him so much, Itachi couldn't help but wish that the man would share his troubles with him.

Itachi had hated the nightly talks the two of them had in the beginning, but after noticing the effects of them, he begun to lean the other way. While he didn't come to exactly like them, they were very rewarding and it wasn't just him that spoke, Harry shared much of his life with him. It made Itachi feel closer to the older man, like they had something special, just between themselves.

Harry had told him of many horrible things that had happened and what Harry had been forced to do, just to survive. Itachi didn't blame Harry for taking life, often quite brutally in a battle, how could he? He himself had taken many lives in his short life, starting from a very young age. He didn't want Sasuke or Naruto to feel the burden of knowing that they had taken a life, a life that had perhaps a family waiting for him or her.

They all say that the first time killing someone is the hardest. Itachi couldn't say he fully agreed with that, because with him, he was too young to really remember. Someone had broken into the compound and had tried to kidnap a young Uchiha child. Itachi had been at the right place at the right time, or it had been the wrong place at the wrong time, and he had seen the man kidnap the child and so reacted. Itachi hadn't really meant to kill the man, but the man had turned around so fast that he hadn't had the time to move his outstretched kunai and it had pierced the masked ninja's heart. He died instantly.

Itachi had only been six years old at the time.

Itachi had been honored with a party for saving the child and killing the man, but Itachi had only sat there in shock, his mind slowly making him forget the sight on of blood running down his arm from the dead man. Afterwards, he'd been promoted to a Genin and taken out on mission, the elders thinking that now when he'd killed that he was more prepared for the harsh reality that was the ninja life. They couldn't have been more wrong.

Itachi hated killing with a passion, that it almost scared him, but he would do it, if it protected his loved ones, meaning Sasuke and possibly Shisui. Now, however, he could include Harry and Naruto on that list.

Itachi was no fool, he knew that sooner or later they would return to Konoha, it was only a matter of time. What would happen then, he didn't know, but he would be damned if he let his skills become rusty when they traveled back. He would need all his strength to protect and defend himself. He had no reason to hope, but he really wanted it to be different the next time he stepped into Konoha again, never more to be a mere puppet at the whims of his father and clan elders.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Sasuke grumbled and tried to turn away when he felt someone shake him awake. The bed felt to warm and comfortable that he wanted to sleep forever. The hands disappeared and Sasuke sighed in relief, thinking that they had given up. Not a second later, Sasuke felt himself rising from the bed and into the embrace of the person mean enough to force him out of the bed when all he wanted was to stay there. He instantly knew that the person holding him was his brother.

The black-haired child whined a weak 'no' when he felt the slight chill of the room creep in when the cover fell off him. Sasuke childishly refused to open his eyes out of sheer stubbornness and heard above him a deep sigh. So while his brother changed his clothes and brushed his teeth, Sasuke was almost asleep again.

He was vaguely aware that he was carried down the stairs as he heard his brother talking to what he guessed was Harry. When he peeked from his place in his brothers arms, he saw Naruto sleeping in Harry's arms as well. He started wondering what was going on before a massive yawn erupted and he began to feel sleepy again.

It was several hours later when the two children awoke once again and found themselves laying on a double bed in unfamiliar blue colored room. When they began to be more aware they started to look around.

"Where are we?", Naruto asked tiredness obvious in his voice and as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes with his fist.

Sasuke frowned before answering. "I don't know."

Naruto looked around again, but didn't see his dad or Itachi. "Dad? Where are you?" No one answered him.

Sasuke started to walk around and noticed two doors in the room. He walked forward to the one closest to him. It revealed a small bathroom with a toilet, a sink and a small shower. It looked clean and modern. He closed the door and, when he reached the other door, Naruto joined him, having awakened enough to walk without falling down. The door exposed a hallway with soft yellow paint on the walls. There were two doors just next to theirs on one side each and when the boys peeked into them they discovered that they were bedrooms as well. Both rooms were decorated almost exactly like the one they had awoken in.

They continued down the hallway with only a glance at each other, a testimony of how close they had become in the short time they had known each other. When they came closer to the end of the hallway, they begun to be able hear a soft spoken conversation. Immediately recognizing the voices as Itachi's and Harry's, both boys speed up and glided into a large room with a medium sized table were both older men sat at, both looking a bit startled with the boys hasty appearance.

"Dad!", Naruto cried out and hugged the man close as Sasuke walked up to his brother and glared mildly at him.

"Naruto, Sasuke." Harry nodded and hugged his son close. "We were just about to check in on you two to see if you had awoken yet."

"But dad, where are we anyway? I don't recognize anything.", Naruto asked with a small frown on his face.

"No, I wouldn't imagine you would. Now tell me, what day is it today?" Harry asked and looked both at Naruto and Sasuke.

Both Naruto and Sasuke frowned at first before Sasuke begun to smile and laugh out loud. Naruto looked confused at his best friend, wondering what was wrong with him. Sasuke ignored Naruto and turned around to his brother and threw himself at the older boy.

"You remembered, Nii-san!", he cried out in happiness and then ran up to Harry to hug the man as well.

Itachi smiled at his brother. "Of course I would, little brother." He lifted Sasuke to settle on his lap after the child had wandered back to him to give him another hug.

"Remember what? What's going on?", Naruto burst out with a frustrated expression, sulking slightly because he was apparently the only one who didn't know what was going on.

Harry smiled at his son and tugged the child closer to hug him. "Today is Sasuke's birthday, Naruto."

"What? How come I didn't know that? No one told me anything!" Naruto pouted in his father's arms, but it disappeared soon when Sasuke's happy mood infected him.

Harry lifted one of his arms and waved his wand in a circle and, through one of the connecting rooms, out came a birthday cake with six lit candles burning brightly. It was a delicious looking carrot cake with a white cover on top. It was Sasuke favorite type of cake because he wasn't a fan of too sweet of cakes. Sasuke whooped happily and quickly seated himself at the table to enjoy his cake. Not until everyone had taken a slice and begun to eat did Sasuke remember to ask just exactly where they were.

"Cake for breakfast is the best!", Naruto hummed, his mouth filled with the wonderful treat.

"Ne, Nii-san, where are we? Neither Naruto or I recognize anything.", Sasuke asked his brother while shuffling some more cake into his mouth.

Harry answered instead of Itachi. "We are currently in a city called Anaheim which is located in Californian in the USA. If you are interested, later I can show you on a map just exactly where we are."

Sasuke nodded, a little bit interested in geography. "Okay, so is there a reason we are here?"

"Indeed, there is.", Itachi answered and gave his brother a fond smile. "We are planning on spending the day at the place called Disneyland. It is-", he was interrupted by a high shout.

"Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is going to be awesome! Right Naruto?", Sasuke babbled on happily, knowing exactly what Disneyland was. Teddy had told them all about Disneyland and how fun it was last time his family had been there on a vacation. Teddy was a large fan of many of the characters and showed his movies and action figures to the two boys very willingly.

"Yeah! I wanna go now! Can we go now dad?", Naruto asked eagerly, nearly falling of his chair in his excitement. Sasuke looked expectantly at Harry as well.

Harry and Itachi shared an amused glance, they hadn't known that the kids were aware of what Disneyland was, but apparently they were very wrong. At least it seemed to be a big hit. It had been Remus' idea to go, saying that it was a great place for both children and adults.

"Not before the cake is eaten and you two have showered, brushed your teeth and dressed properly.", Harry said firmly, a smile threatening to break out when the boys started to hurriedly eat the cake. "Sasuke, would you mind if you got to open your presents after we get back to the hotel?"

Sasuke shook his head, not even bothering to answer, before throwing himself over the cake, Naruto not far after him.

Soon enough, both boys raced into their room in the hotel Harry had rented for a two days. Harry figured that they would spend the whole day at Disneyland and, after that, they would be exhausted so it would be easier if they slept in the hotel another night rather than finding a new one at another place.

While watching the boys bounce down the hall enthusiastically, Itachi couldn't help but smile in fond amusement. Right then, a strong feeling overcame him, like a warm blanket had embraced him. When was the last time he really smiled without a problem in sight? When was the last time he really enjoyed himself without needing to look over his shoulder in a paranoid way? Finally, Itachi felt like he belonged somewhere, somewhere he didn't need to do dangerous missions against his will or be forced to kill children as well as innocent people.

After the two boys had run off to their room, Itachi turned to Harry to ask a question, only to freeze, his mouth still open to speak. Before him, Harry tried not to cry and sniffled as quiet as he could. To Itachi, Harry looked like sentimental fool, like he already mourning that the boys were growing up. Itachi couldn't hold in the mocking smirk even if someone had paid him.

Naturally, Harry noticed immediately.

Harry rolled his eyes, raising his nose in the air and sniffing haughtily. So what that he became a little sentimental? There was nothing wrong with that! Still, the thought of his boys growing up, Sasuke managing to crawl his way into his heart already and staying there, and living their own life made him want to cry again.

To hide from the mocking glances he got from Itachi, the wizard escaped into the kitchen to clean up the dishes. Harry vaguely heard a low chuckle from the room he just left and he sniffed to himself again. He couldn't wait for Itachi to realize that the older Sasuke got, the less the Uchiha heir had to say about his life.

Soon enough, the boys entered the dining room, showered and dressed for the day. Harry ushered everyone out of the hotel and ordered a taxi to take them to Disneyland. Half an hour later, they arrived as close as the taxi could take them to the entrance. Paying the chauffer, Harry walked up to the others and watched in slight awe at the magnificent place before them.

Both kids were vibrating on the spot, wanting to run ahead, but knowing better then to do it. Before they could react, Harry and Itachi lifted up Naruto and Sasuke respectively and sat them down on their shoulders, grinning like loons all the while. Naruto and Sasuke didn't get the time to compose themself because both Harry and Itachi dashed away, laughing as they went.

All the people around them saw was a happy family on a vacation without any trouble in sight and, if fate would allow, Harry hoped it would stay that way.

* * *

**And that was that. I hope you like it! I had planned and wanted to get this chapter out around New Year, but you know what happens to the best laid plans.**

**Thank you for your support I have gotten, their lovely to read and I get very encouraged by them. Well I am of to write the next one which I hope will get a bit more action in it.**

**Next chapter: **_Second chances_

**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**

17


	15. Second chances

**Hello everyone!  
I proudly present you chapter 14!**

**Well, it has been some time since I updated but with school and everything I haven't had the time to write, but I never forgot it! I will finish it sometime in the future, even if it will take years to do it!**

**I have gotten many wonderful review and many warmed my heart. They always made me push myself to write, which I admittedly need sometimes. I can't say when chapter fourteen will come out but hopefully faster than this one with summer and all around the corner. **

**Well I have gotten many reviews that have complained, or more stated that the story is standing still a bit and there is no really action. I apologize for that, I feel the same as well, but I needed to write a little interaction between the boys to make them feel more like a family because they are going to need it later one. So, in this chapter we will get a glimpse in the elemental land to see what is happening there. Plus interaction between Zabuza and Haku will begin here and the dreams between Harry and Zabuza are starting to really heat up, it's going slowly but it's moving in the right direction. **

**This chapter hasn't been Beta'd yet so I will replace it when it is.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Where you were born is less important than how you live._

**Chapter 14**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"  
**_

* * *

**Previously:**_ All the people around them saw was a happy family on a vacation without any trouble in sight, and Harry hoped it would stay that way._

* * *

He felt achingly lonely all of a sudden. Why? Not even when he left his own village or when his one and only true friend died in coldblooded murder right in front of him did he feel like he did now. Back then he had only felt anger, grief and madness. He had only wanted revenge in return for those who betrayed him, death for those who killed his friend and blood to feed his growing bloodlust.

Now however, he wanted someone by his side, but not anyone would do. He knew there was someone out there that was meant just for him and no one else. Something compelled him to find this person, not matter what it took and seize the person as his own. So, he started traveling more and longer stretches then before.

He visited new villages he never been to before all the while keeping a low profile. Nothing would get him sidetracked in this mission, a mission he assigned to himself. In the beginning he was patient, he knew it wouldn't be easy to find him or her, though he had a hunch it would be a _male_. Ninja wasn't picky about gender, especially when one could die any moment, and besides he'd always preferred a hard and solid adult body then a soft and pliant one.

However after months went by and the search turned into a year he began to get impatient. Where was he? Was he hiding from him? Why then? He never really had been a patient man before and this just irritated him to the bone. Where the hell was he! He never once stopped to think, how it really was ridiculous for anyone else to say they were looking for someone just because some instinct were telling them to. He was a man driven by his instincts and they had kept him alive until now and they would continue to do so. If his instinct were saying that he had to find his one and only then he would, fuck what anyone else says.

Perhaps that was why he picked up the street kid, small, scrawny and hungry looking. He would never admit it but with the brat he didn't feel as lonely as before. Perhaps that was why he treated the kid better and better the closer they became. The brat kept the edge away, the killing edge and the lonely edge. He feed the kid, trained him and kept him safe from those stronger then the kid, which were everyone in the beginning.

Still the pull to find just that person kept making itself known so they traveled around still. He'd calmed down a bit now when he had the kid with him, no longer able to travel as fast anymore, but strangely he didn't mind too much. Had it been anyone else he surely would have killed them on the first night.

Then, one day the pull tugged at him something fierce making him stop dead next to a large tree. The kid almost crashed into him, murmured a soft apologize before moving away. He wasn't listening. North, they had to go north.

"Haku, we are changing direction, keep up will ya." He muttered and without another word he set of again, knowing the brat was following him as usual without a complaint in sight.

"Hai, Zabuza-sama." The child, Haku, answered softly.

They soon arrived to a small village, though by the look it wasn't a poor village. The houses were of good quality and the people were happy looking with the kids running on the streets without a care. It wasn't often one came by such a village. Zabuza made Haku dress like a girl, told him to meet up in this spot in six hours and then they split, he didn't want to be seen with a small child if anyone recognized him. It would in the worst case paint a target on the child, but Zabuza tried to tell himself it was because of his image he had to do it. He wasn't getting soft, he wasn't really.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After a week went by Zabuza had searched the whole village and even wandered around a bit in the nearby forest and found nothing. In the beginning he'd felt a pull towards one of the inns in the village and one room especially but it had yielded nothing as the room was empty of paying customers and apparently it had been empty for some months as well.

Being the reckless and impulsive person he was it wasn't odd for him to snap after being so excited to finally find something and then discover nothing. It made him furiously mad and he wanted someone to pay. After taking out his anger on an innocent shop owner he stalked out the village armed with a bit new knowledge. So the person was really a he, his instincts had been right then.

His frequent dreams that had been coming more often than not were blurry and pretty vague. Sometimes he heard childish laughter and other times he thought he heard the green-eyed man speak softly, but never so he heard what was being said.

Almost every time the dream played out in large cabin or a normal sized house. Zabuza could tell it was homey, it was made for comfort. Zabuza found against his will that he quite liked it. In the latest dreams they had begun to touch each other, only like small pats on the shoulder, careful, soft and gentle. It was the beginning to something more but for some reason Zabuza relished in the soft touches, so unlike he had ever felt in his life. The people he had slept with before had only been about release and sex. It had been cold, rough and meaningless. These new touches awoke something in him that hadn't known existed inside himself, he hadn't quite decided if he liked the new feelings or not.

It confused him that he was beginning to actually like the softness that followed in the dreams. He was a rough and straight-forward type of person, feelings and such was for the weak he'd always thought. These dreams were slowly changing him, like how he would never had picked up a starved street brat a few years ago or even a few months ago.

When he became confused, he quickly got irritated and that led to anger and the need to unleash it on someone. Except the person that had caused the change wasn't here to take his anger and he restrained himself from taking it out on the kid. He reasoned with himself that he didn't want to take care of the kid's corpse afterwards. Right.

Just what was happening to him?

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Zabuza met up with the kid outside the village, still boiling from his failure at catching his prey. The brat was still dressed like an ordinary girl, albeit a very pretty one and Zabuza gave him a short nod in greeting before disappearing into the forest.

The boy was silent, obviously seeing that he was greatly agitated and wanted no silly talk to disturb him. They continued to travel for a good eight hours at a very high speed, Zabuza needing to burn of energy lest he did something stupid that would catch them unneeded attention. However he was forced to stop near a small cave next to a smaller forest mountain when he realized that the boy was getting beyond exhausted with the speed he'd been keeping.

He sighed irritated when the brat stopped next to him where he stood. "Oi Haku, speak up when you need a break, ya hear me brat?" He said as neutrally as possible. He wasn't good at this gentle thing, or kids whatsoever.

The young boy panted a few more times to get more air into his lungs to be able to answer. "Hai, Zabuza-sama."

"Tch, whatever." Zabuza grunted and sat down with his back against the stone wall just outside the cave. Zabuza sighed, adjusting the bandages covering most of his face, where should they go next?

Gratefully Haku sunk down onto the grassy ground with a sigh. His legs and feet were burning with the recent marathon running. He was sure that his master wasn't even winded in the slightest and he longed for the day when he too could run for so long without becoming exhausted. While his body was tired beyond belief his mind was still running at high speed and he recalled fondly his time in the small village that they just left.

The people had been very kind to him despite him being only a child, though they had thought he was a she. They hadn't even asked him how he'd gotten there or where he came from. An elderly woman had wanted taken him in but he had refused every time. Still the woman continued to feed him and had genuinely wanted to make sure that he was kept safe and well.

Haku marveled over how everyone took care of each other and was amazed that it weren't any homeless people or street kids in the village. If only he had been born in a village like this, how happy he would have been. However he thanked his lucky star every day for making Zabuza-sama pick him up that day. The man had saved his life, Haku was sure that he wouldn't have survived until adulthood on the streets, not even months.

He had only spent a few weeks on the streets before Zabuza had found him. In that time he had been beaten several times and stayed alive on garbage trash, the only thing that he could found to eat even if it made him feel ill and weak in the stomach.

The time before the streets, when he still lived with his parents had been good years, until when he discovered his abilities. His mother had made him swore never to show his powers to his father, he hadn't understand why then, but now he did. Though he almost wished he didn't. The memories made him want to cry every time he thought of them, he tried to push them away and to forget it ever happened.

The only thing that frightened him was that he would forget how his mother looked, his beautiful mother, and how her voice sounded. He missed her soft hugs and gentle nature, she had always been there for him if he needed her and she had tried to save him from his father, sacrificing her life in the end.

He was for a moment grateful for his own appearances, which suggested that he took much after her in looks and not only her bloodline abilities. However he was getting tired of being mistaken for a girl.

After a good ten minutes Haku noticed the older shinobi standing up and walking towards him. He stood up as well, expecting them to keep on traveling, trying to ignored his still burning legs and feet. In the months he had traveled with Momochi Zabuza, he had learned much about him. One of them was that Zabuza hated idleness. He was a man of action, of ruthless ambition, and often grew irritable when forced to stay his hand for any amount of time. Patience was not in Zabuza's vocabulary

"Brat, if you are going to survive with your puny body and strength you're going to need to train hard. So prepare yourself for pain because I will hold nothing back, understood?" Zabuza snarled out. He only waited for Haku to nod before continuing. "I will create a training regime for you but right now I want to start learning to handle senbons. But for it to be a useful skill you need to know everything about the body, where is most hurt, where it most bleed and were they do the most damage. Now, listen carefully because I am only going to say this once, understood?" Zabuza barked out again, feeling quite like a teacher for the first time in his life. He shrugged the thought away like an irritating fly.

"I understand, Zabuza-sama." Haku said with a determined expression. He would make Zabuza proud of him and not make him regret picking him up!

Zabuza nodded and dug up everything he knew about bodies' different pain points and other useful facts, which was quite a lot, "Right, now the point just underneath the…."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Haku collapsed exhausted to the ground. Zabuza was a hard taskmaster and Haku found himself dead tired every day. However as the months went by and after many hours of training Haku could feel himself becoming stronger, not so much in building muscles because his body type just wasn't meant to become burly but he was faster and his reflexes was sharpening up a bit. Haku had also discovered very soon into the training that he had a very good chakra control, most likely because he didn't had much chakra at the moment.

He knew though as his chakra grew in size he would need to continue to exorcise his chakra all the time to maintain his excellent control. Because of his good control he very quickly figured out how to climb trees and walk on water which later made it easy for him to jump in the trees to travel faster.

When not training they traveled around, occasionally stopping at a village and Zabuza would scout the place for a person Haku still didn't know the name of, or even why the older ninja wanted to meet him. They did some mission now and then to earn a little money, often assassination or protection detail as bodyguards. Thankfully, they didn't need much money, only for supplies they couldn't make or hunt themselves.

Neither of them was picky with food and both were used by now to sleep outside to be bothered by it. Haku dreamed sometimes however of owning a house of his own and settle down somewhere peaceful, where he could perhaps start his own family or at least living with life's comforts. But realistically that would never happen, and Haku knew that, accepted it even, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

It felt for him like a lifetime ago that he was living with his loving parents in a small but comfortable house with homemade food on the table, though it only was perhaps a year ago. It felt like a lifetime ago, but he still remembered it, still wanted to return to that house and forget all that had happened. But he couldn't, and he would have to live with that until he died, either by injury, sickness or old age, though Haku was almost certain he would die of injury than anything else.

It wasn't an especially happy thought to have, but Haku thought it at least beat starving to death alone in some dark allay.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_A gentle hand stroked the smaller man's cheek, the lips that touched the forehead were feather light and made the man's body tingle and warm up. The taller man's other hand not touching the cheek wound around the other man's waist, bringing their bodies closer and tighter. Soon they stood chest to chest; they could feel the other breathing, sharp and short as it was._

_The man began to travel lower stopping just over the pants, just hinting yet wanting to go lower. The smaller man's hands began to explore the taller man's back, stroking up and down feeling the strong broad physique, exciting him even further. Just as the smaller man turned his lips up to meet the man's lips with his own the dream began to slip away._

Harry awoke with an unusual smile as the sun shined through the window. '_Another dream'_, he thought, '_though these aren't so bad'_, Harry sighed contently. Recently the dreams had evolved to something more. The person was becoming clearer and when he tried to speak to the man in the dream Harry swore the man spoke back. When the man touched him the first time Harry had been startled how real it felt, like the man stood beside him in the real world and not in a dream.

For a few weeks it had gone from gentle pats on the shoulder to soothing long touches down the arms and soft touches on the face. To Harry it felt like the man tried to memories him with only feeling his body. In the dreams it felt so good, so peaceful and gentle, but when he woke up he would notice immediately that his body was a little bothered by them, though not so much in a bad way.

It had been so long since he had been intimate with anyone, the last being an encounter with a tall and handsome wizard he'd met in Germany, it had only lasted for a few days and they had parted on friendly terms both satisfied by the outcome. That was years ago, before his family died.

Harry sighed and took a very cold shower. Perhaps he could indulge a little later in the day, but not now. He needed to send both kids off to school and that was exhausting, luckily he had Itachi who helped him. Perhaps he could send Itachi off as well, the kid needed to do some recon on the dojos anyway, yes that sounded perfect.

Harry smiled as he walked down the stairs, his mood better and sunnier than it had been in the past few days. Walking around kids and being sexually frustrated wasn't fun, especially around a smart kid like Itachi who had been even more worried for him when he'd looked like a black cloud. But today he would do something about it, Harry swore and if he had to throw Itachi out of the house then so be it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
A few days later…**

"Dad? Can I ask you something?" Naruto said hesitantly and fidgeted with his hands. Harry turned his attention to the child from where he had focused on the newspaper. It was early evening and only Naruto and Harry was sitting in the common room currently. The fire sparked merrily in the fireplace purely for decoration as it didn't give away any heat. Instead the elves had charmed the room to contain a mild breeze to combat the heat from outside because the manor didn't have an air-conditioner being an old wizarding house. Being in the middle of the summer it was suffocating hot outside and it was times like this that Harry was very happy to have magic.

"Of course Naruto, you can ask me anything, you know that." Harry said and laid down the paper on the table next to him, a little curious.

"Well, you know, when I trained yesterday with Sasuke and Itachi-san I tried to m-mould my chakra like Itachi-san said I should but something happened that Itachi-san didn't mentioned should happen and-" Naruto hurried to speak but was interrupted by his father.

"Breath Naruto, take it easy, I am not going anywhere." Harry said and smiled gently.

Naruto calmed down some and took a deep breath before continuing. "As I m-moulded by chakra s-something strange happened dad, on my stomach. I had taken of my shirt earlier cus' I was sweaty and warm and then I saw a weird-like figure, like a sun, and it only came forth while I moulded my chakra. Because I thought it was weird that it showed up I secretly sneaked on Sasuke, he too had taken of his shirt, but no figures showed up on his stomach. Is there something wrong with me, Dad?" Naruto finished with a desperate tone in his voice.

Harry gathered his son in his arms and only held him for a moment, wondering what to say to his beloved son. He hated to lie, he couldn't lie to save his life either and he had never lied to Naruto before and he didn't want to start now. But this, just this! Was the child ready hear about the Kyuubi? Naruto was more sensitive than any other child he had met, he knew that.

Still it didn't sit well with him if he lied. Petting Naruto's hair for a moment Harry came to a decision. Pulling away so he faced the child Harry carefully chose his words and switched to Naruto's original language to make it easier for the child to understand.

"Son, there is nothing wrong with you, you hear me?" Harry said almost forcefully and Naruto nodded in tearful agreement. "You remember the Hokage? Well, he told me what the symbol was." Harry paused for a moment before continuing, Naruto's attention focused on him. "What you have on your stomach is called a seal, and what you have is a very powerful seal at that."

"When you were born the village was attacked by a powerful beast, the Yoko no Kyuubi. It's a begin made of pure chakra and in the shape of a nine-tailed fox. There are nine different beast, all made of pure chakra but Kyuubi is the strongest of them hence the most tails. When the Kyuubi for some reason attacked Konoha many shinobi and civilians died and the leader of the time, the Yondime and a seal master, became more and more desperate to save his village. Finally he created with help of several different seals a way to seal the Kyuubi away, because one cannot kill something that is made of pure chakra, there is no body to slay."

"The seals demanded several sacrifices, first the soul of the user in exchange of the sealing of the Kyuubi's soul and then a newborn baby with no set chakra pathways to seal the soul into. The baby becomes essentially the jailer of the Kyuubi and so often shows some characters that are typically of the shape of the beast." Harry quieted down and waited for his son to digest the new information and understand. When a sharp breath escaped the child, Harry knew Naruto had figured it out.

"I am- am the jailor of the Kyuubi?" Naruto whispered and by the expression of his face he didn't know what to think.

Harry tightened his arms around the child and breathed out a yes. He felt the body in his arms starting to tremble slightly and he closed his eyes in pain.

"Is that why- why everyone back there hated me? They called me a demon and I never knew why, why they hated me, what I had done wrong, and, and…"Naruto broke down crying and all Harry could do was hold the child and make soft soothing noises, hoping to somehow comfort the grieving child who had experience too much pain in his short life for something he hadn't done or had any control over.

He wanted to curse the Kyuubi for making the village hate and mistreat Naruto and he wanted to murder the Yondime for sacrificing his own flesh and blood. Still if Kyuubi hadn't attacked and Yondime hadn't sealed the beast soul into Naruto, they never would have met probably and they wouldn't have been father and son right now.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
Two weeks later…**

Harry stared at his son for a moment, than stared some more on Sasuke. Both boys sported huge grins and Harry could only sigh in defeat.

"Really boys! What have you done?" Harry moaned pitifully while covering his eyes with a hand. The boys giggled before answering.

"There was a food fight in the cafeteria and Sasuke and me got caught in the middle," Naruto chirped happily, not minding in the slightest that he was covered in food remains, in an large range of colors as well. Sasuke was similarly covered, though he looked a bit more disgusted, but otherwise had a satisfied and smug expression on his face that he'd a hard time hiding.

"I, Naruto, it's I not me. So that's what happened," Harry murmured and sighed again. Really there wasn't any question if the boys were innocent or not, this was the tenth time Harry had picked them up from school and finding them covered with something. And the boys had only been attending the school for a month. "I won't get a call from the school, will I when we get home?" Harry said with a bit of disapproval in his voice, clearly stating that he was doubtful of the incident.

Both boys glanced at each other for moment and shook their head innocently and that more than anything else, made Harry think that he was right in his suspicions. Most likely it had been Naruto that suggested the idea and prank and Sasuke who perfected it.

Harry sighed again before ushering the boys away from the school, eager to get home and give the boys a bath. Harry wondered if should punish the boys for pranking and starting a food fight in the school or praise them for avoiding getting caught. '_My little ninjas'_, Harry thought fondly. He was sure Itachi would enjoy the prank, like he had for the past pranks the boys had executed.

Harry made Itachi later that day train the boys harder with more boring and time-consuming exorcises, after telling them that he knew that it were them behind the prank and that was the punishment that awaited them next time as well. Because Harry was very convinced that it would be a next time, punishment or not. Perhaps next time Harry would throw in some gardening time as well, Naruto so hated it.

The punishment only seemed to have the effect in making them tired, though Harry didn't mind, after dinner both boys went early to bed without complains, which really was a blessing in disguise.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
****In Konoha…**

Sarutobi sighed to himself a frown decorating his face, more tired than he ever remembered feeling before. The council members had begun to lay demands on him, especially after the incident with Naruto and his new guardian, it was beginning to wear him down a bit. While he was ecstatic that Naruto finally had someone to look after him that actually loved him, he could do without the aftermath of it. The council thought that he had gone over and disregarded them to approve the adoption; the fact that they were right didn't make it better either.

It had been the only right thing to do and Sarutobi had been proud to do it, he had finally paid back a bit to Minato by looking after his son and heir. Still the endless nagging and whining the council members thought they were now authorized to do were annoying and gave him a headache. They said because they allowed Sarutobi to take charge of the Kyuubi matter then he had to listen and allow them to do certain things as well. As if.

The largest nuisance had been Danzo but he'd been coming in to his office less and less over the recent months. Vague rumors had begun to spread through the village that Danzo was ill but Sarutobi didn't put much on them, for all he knew it could be someone that hated Danzo who started them to get revenge or something. It wasn't until he had met Danzo a couple weeks ago that he had really seen how ill the man had become. He hid it well though, but Sarutobi wasn't the Hokage for nothing.

He wondered in the privacy of his office if someone had finally poisoned the paranoid man. Danzo had been a friend of his for a long time, but even he wasn't blind to what the man had turned into. The difference between Danzo and Orochimaru wasn't small, nearly nonexistent. The only clear difference between them was Danzo's loyalty towards the village, he would do everything to protect the village, except to leave it.

Still the man often did more harm than good, Sarutobi only had to look at the Root members. He was sure Danzo thought he wasn't aware of their existent but Danzo wasn't the only one with spies in the others camp. Sarutobi so wanted to crush the Root and weed it out like trash but he couldn't, not at the moment and right now it looked like he didn't even need to do anything himself.

If the unknown illness took care of it Sarutobi would not shed tears over the man who once was his friend. Still he wondered why none of the medics could cure the man, was it a sickness that they didn't know how to cure? That could be troublesome if it spread to others, but at the moment no other cases had been reported as odd or dangerous.

The old Hokage turned his eyes to the table before him and sighed deeply again, the paperwork would not take care by itself after all. As he begun to sign away he couldn't help but think of Naruto, as he often did nowadays.

He had gotten reports on the child for a year before he had gotten the last letter delivered by a white beautiful bird. Half a year had gone past and that would make it one and half year since Sarutobi laid his eyes on Naruto. It had only said that there would be no more letters for a couple of years until they returned, from where went unsaid and Sarutobi often wondered what it meant.

He felt a little helpless and frustrated, here he was, the Hokage to the most powerful country in the elemental land and still he couldn't take care of one child that he loved more than anything. Instead a stranger showed up and only after a few weeks he'd taken care of Naruto's every need and taken the child away from Konoha to gods knows where.

Still, he hoped the child was happy wherever he was. It was also half a year ago since the three Uchiha boys, Itachi, Shisui and Sasuke last had been seen. He hoped they had escaped but he feared the worst. The only thing that had been found were pieces of a black burnt corpse that everyone was certain was an enemy nin. The fire had burnt away any evidence that could have given them clues.

The attack both from the Uchiha clan and outsiders had been harsh and bloody, but Konoha had come out of it victorious with thankfully a very low death count. In the end every one of the Uchiha clan were subdued and the outsiders mostly all killed. They had of course interrogated the surviving outsiders but had gotten nothing of them because of a seal but thankfully Jiraja was there and he recognized with pain the seal as Orochimaru's creation.

"Ah Orochimaru, what am I supposed to do with you?," Sarutobi sighed to himself forlornly. He was a sentimental fool, he let the man go even though he had discovered that his student had betrayed the village by experimenting on her people. His bleeding heart hadn't let him kill his beloved student even though he had known there was no saving the man. And look now what his mistake had cost him.

It was obvious that he man wanted to destroy Konoha, if one read underneath the attack. If only he'd had the strength to kill the man that time. Now Sarutobi feared that he had grown too strong for him to defeat alone, he also feared Orochimaru had discovered the secret to eternal life. "I am a fool and I will probably die as one as well." The old Hokage said to himself, his heart heavy with regret of past decisions.

There was however one light in all the darkness, while interrogating the Uchiha clan members it became clear that not everyone was in on the coup. The families with low ranking within the clan hadn't even been approached to join in. Only the families with a member in the elder council and the clan head's family had fully known about the plan because they were the families with the most and strongest ninjas.

That was a relief to hear for the Hokage, because after receiving Itachi's reports it had sounded as everyone in the clan had been in on the coup. It would have been a devastation loss, because losing all the Uchiha clan would have made the village weak until they could produce new ninjas to take the empty places. Now they would still lose many good ninjas but not all of them and could expect to receive more later on when the clan got back on their feet.

Still it made the Hokage sad to see his own people attacking and turning traitors, because there was only one punishment for traitors, death. Sarutobi could only be glad that Itachi and Sasuke weren't there to see their mother and father be executed in public along with the rest of the traitors.

It would be hard to convince the civilians and ninja to not accuse the rest of the Uchiha clan of betrayal as well. Sarutobi feared what would happen if the rest of the clan also rebelled because they were treated badly, the village couldn't afford to lose anymore ninja as it were. With this in his mind he had called for a secret meeting with the remaining Uchiha clan members, if he was to help them then he needed to speak with them directly.

Sarutobi thought back to the meeting which had been held a week after the attack and the executions had taken place.

The meeting took place underground, built by one of the previous Hokages as a safe location in case of attack, however it existence were only revealed to a few. Sarutobi stood beside one of his Anbu captains as the room was silently filled by escorted Uchiha members who all were wondering if the Hokage had brought them to a place where no one could hear them if they were killed. They knew the Hokage usually was a gentle and peace-loving man but after what their clan did a swift death would be mercy.

As the last Uchiha entered the room the doors closed with a soft click. All eyes were on the Hokage who took his time to observe them people before him. In total there was sixty-seven Uchiha in the room, this didn't count the children and their minders who weren't in the room, so total living Uchiha member reached eighty-three. At the best twenty of them could use the Sharingan and only seven of them had the full Sharingan active with all the tomoes. Sarutobi privately thought it could have been worse, there could have been no Uchiha members left in the village.

Still half of the people in the room were over fifty and either retired shinobi or civilian. The retired shinobi could go back to active status if he demanded it, it happened often in times of war and with so few Uchiha left to run the police force they needed everyone they could get their hands on.

Still they would have to move a few ordinary shinobi to the police force to fill it out and in the end that could be a good thing, Sarutobi thought. It would force the Uchiha and the normal ninja to interact with each other and hopefully bridge a few gaps.

Deciding the silence had gone on for too long the Hokage cleared his throat. He was considering where he should start for a moment before starting. "First none of you are present because of the happenings last week. None of you are thought to have had a hand in the coup and are such innocent to the terrible incident. However as you sure are all aware of, the civilians don't and can't separate the guilty from the innocent. This of course will cause problems and I want you all to know that I will do everything in my power to help the Uchiha clan, both individuals and the clan as a whole."

"That which triggered the coup has been built up over time and I can understand the resentment still exists. But today I want us to start over, this terrible incident have accidently given us a chance to start over and I want to take it. This should never have happened, but it has and now we have to live with it and rise from the ashes of it."

He paused to let his words sink in. He knew that the Uchiha always had felt alienated from the village and he hoped with his support it would become better. A voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hokage-sama, we of the remaining Uchiha members will gladly accept any help. "The spokesman was one of the middle aged men with an active Sharingan alive. It seemed that he had been chosen to be the new leader of the clan, purely because of his youth, personality and strength. "We will not make the same mistake as our deceased relatives did, we will do everything in our power to somehow atone for our clan's betrayal!" The man finished with a deep bow that the rest of the clan copied.

The old man Hokage could only smile in answer feeling more hopeful than he had felt in a long time. Perhaps the horrible happenings could be turned into something good. The old council members of the Uchiha clan had always been against everything he had done or wanted to do, every action Sarutobi did they interpreted as a way to undermine their power.

But now they could start from the beginning with a stronger bond and with people that actually listened to what he said and seriously thought about it instead from immediately dismissing it. Another thing was that they would be forced to marry more outside the clan to stay healthy and that could lead to minimizing the threat of insanity which many Uchiha had in their genes from marrying close family.

Sarutobi bowed before the gathering of men and women a small smile on his face. "For the future of Konoha." He finished with as he straightened.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
****Elsewhere in the Elemental world, in a secret location**

"Where's the child?" A harsh voice spat out at the gathering of women and men. The crowd couldn't help the small flinch at the rage in their leader's voice. The man was furious, no livid, at the moment and even though he'd very rarely let his anger out over them, this time could be an exception. This time the man would have an excellent reason to do so however. The child that they had been instructed to kidnap and bring to the safe house had somehow escaped to god knows where. No one from their sources could tell them where the child disappeared either.

"You people disappoint me, one more mistake and I will replace you all with more worthy followers," The man continued to rage, the loss of the child making his entire plan put on hold.

The people before him bowed onto the knees in a silent gesture for forgiveness, knowing their leader would kill anyone who foolishly spoke up when he was so angry. They had failed the leader and master.

"I have a new task for you all to do for me. Fail this time and I will kill you all." The man said and glared at the crowd. As one the men and women nodded, silently grateful for a second chance to prove their worth. "The child has to be somewhere, your task is to spy on the organization named Akatsuki and make sure that they don't have the child and is hiding him somewhere. The Akatsuki cannot have the child in their grasp, it would destroy everything."

The crowd bowed one more time deeply before disappearing without a sound, leaving the leader alone with a sever frown on his face. He had to have the child in his hold. The instruction his forefather had left him would need the power of the Kyuubi to complete and complete them he would and with every action possible.

Now where could the child be hiding? He had many spies around the world but none could tell him were the child was. It almost seemed like the child had gone underground.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

If there was one thing Itachi was good at it was to observe things and he was also somewhat proud of his very good memory skills, excluding, of course, his coping ability with the sharingan. He had always been a solemn child, never interacting with anyone if not forced to. It had however given him much time to observe people when not training.

He could admit openly that he hadn't recognized Naruto immediately or really at all. But when Harry started to share small bits of knowledge with him about Naruto Itachi quickly remembered where he had seen the boy before. Well, in his defense he had only seen the boy once or twice when he had been a baby and other times that he only now realized that he'd met the Kyuubi holder.

He had heard a lot about him over the years however, and not only the times before the planned coup. The faint memories of the boy Itachi did have were that he was loud and somewhat irritating. He hadn't had the time to really look at the boy, busy with his own missions and training while trying to see Sasuke without any Uchiha members finding them. All of the things he had heard about the boy were bad and only the Hokage had had any good things to say but at the time Itachi hadn't cared either way. Perhaps a little cruel of him Itachi could reflect now afterwards but it would have been impossible for Itachi to do anything for the small child, his family would have tolerated it just as much as his interaction with Sasuke, not very much.

As he observed the boy now though after living together for over four months he could clearly see that Naruto was more subdued and quieter, though not in a bad way. Obviously the child didn't feel the need to make a huge racket to earn attention, even if the attention hadn't been a nice one. Itachi was happy for him, Harry was a good father and even better friend. He was a good listener and made Itachi want to talk about things, which was unusual as he was a quiet type.

Itachi was even happier for his brother. Sasuke had always been a happy child but he had become more and more subdued with the years when more demands and rules had been laid on his shoulders, sit straight, only talk when spoken to, an Uchiha doesn't show their emotions, only speak with those worthy of your attention and on and on. While not as harsh and brutal as Itachi had had when he'd been young it had been enough to burden the child.

Now however Sasuke was becoming more playful and smiled more freely. He dared to play pranks without expecting a harsh punishment and dared to say his opinions without getting a scolding about sticking his nose where it didn't belong. The small spat with Teddy had been a good lesson for Sasuke, being possessive of Naruto would never end well, because the sunshine-haired child easily made friends. The spat taught Sasuke to share, though Itachi was sure there were more fights to come about Naruto's attention in the future, especially now when they attended school. In a way, it was almost cute, Itachi thought to himself.

Itachi had also seen a change in older male wizard. Those times he had met Harry in the elemental land had been good and fun, but at that time Itachi hadn't had much else to compare to then. Now when he thought it over, it sounded very lonely to travel the world alone for two full years. While the man had met many people on his travel it wasn't the same if one didn't stay and only met them fleetingly.

Itachi could remember the man as if a little restless, like he had a hard time being still and relaxing. But now Harry was more home in his skin and more noticeably relaxed, though Itachi had noticed that the man often didn't sleep properly but it didn't really affect the man's mood in the day. Still in the beginning when Harry had just began to develop dark marks under his eyes he had seemed a bit lost and confused at the breakfast table but as the weeks went by the look disappeared and replaced with something Itachi couldn't put a name on.

Itachi laid down the book he had been reading in the library. He leaned backwards and let out a deep gust of air. Itachi had only closed his eyes for a couple of minutes when a screening alarm echoed through the house. He was up and out of the library before he blinked a second time. He spread out his chakra and quickly located his brother in his room. He had yet to find Naruto or Harry when he arrived to his brother's room and quickly entered to room only to find it empty. However Itachi could feel the boy's chakra from the closet and he opened the door only to block a flying kick.

"Sasuke it's me!" Itachi quickly informed the boy and only a moment later he was stopped being assaulted.

"Nii-san! What is happening?" Sasuke breathed out scared and clung to his older brother. He had hidden in the closet the moment the sound begun, having been drilled by his brother what to do when he wasn't yet strong enough to defend himself.

"I don't know." He was rather stumped, actually, and said as much, in a situation like this it was best to be honest.

They quickly and quietly made their way down the stairs, Itachi constantly made sure Sasuke was hidden behind him at all times. Itachi's mind was spinning with possibilities, was it a burglar? A thief? Or something worse?

They reached the end of the stairs and suddenly both boys could hear swearing from the kitchen and Itachi quickly spread his chakra that way. He quickly sensed the unique presence of Harry and Naruto and so they quietly made their way to the kitchen.

Itachi relaxed a little when hearing Harry's voice louder, knowing that if the older man could swear that freely then they were fine. He was however a little confused as to why the man was swearing the way he did as he often scolded the children when they had learned a new swearing word from school saying that no proper young men would ever speak such words.

Stepping into the kitchen Itachi spotted Harry by the window wearing the largest frown Itachi had ever seen. Naruto was seated at the table, alternately looking at his father and eating a light snack. It at least appeared they weren't in any danger and he relaxed a bit. Stepping forward Itachi asked what was wrong.

"Harry? What is happening?"

Harry made a noise like a cat hacking up a hairball and muttered something impolite. He didn't turn from the window as he spat out his words, a cloud of darkness embracing the man. "Those sleazy, slimy, stinky bastards. Sponges have more intelligence than these dipshits. How the fuck did they find me?"

Silence reigned in the kitchen for a long moment, Itachi at loss for words with his mouth hanging open and eyes wide. Suddenly determined to know what had made the usually mild and kind man transform to this- this swearing and kind of frightening human being Itachi made his way to the window.

He was greeted by flashes of lights so strong that it made his eyes water and seeing stars. What Itachi then saw when he regained his sight stunned him into speechless once again.

What the hell?

* * *

**So, that was it for this chapter. I suppose one can guess what's outside the window? Anybody want to guess? You get a cookie if you are right!**

**Well anyhow, a little more action I hope and the next chapter will bring a few confrontations with certain people that Harry would rather die than meet again, of course only after he killed said people in the most gruesome way he know. Luckily, he has Naruto, Sasuke and Itachi on his side at least.**

**Next chapter: **_Uninvited guests_

**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**

17


	16. Uninvited guests

**Hello!**

**Chapter 15 is here! "Disappears from view"**

**I AM SORRY! "Hides behind a sofa to avoid the rotten fruit thrown by angry readers" Really I am very sorry, I have no excuse other than that school have been a bitch, had a write block and life in general have been a pain the ass lately, or at least the past couple of months. BUT it's here, the next chapter!**

**The chapter is not betad in any form or word! I will update the chapter when it is. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Naruto. Though I would, of course, not mind if I did.**

**Two broken souls heals together**

_Those who criticize our generation forget who raised it_

**Chapter 15**

"Normal speech**"**

'_Thinking'_

"_Snake speech"_

"_**Fawkes"**_

* * *

Previously: _He was greeted by flashes of lights so strong that it made his eyes water and seeing stars. What Itachi then saw when he regained his sight stunned him into speechless once again. What the hell?_

* * *

The first thing Harry did after gathering his composure and wit was striding to the fireplace. After he threw the powder he shouted out Remus' name determinately and waited impatiently. He wanted answers and he wanted them _now_. "_Remus_, answer me!"

It didn't take Remus long to answer, especially after hearing the tone in Harry's voice. "Harry? What has happened? Are you alright?" He quickly asked and kneeled down before his fireplace, a conveniently placed pillow with a cushion charm for his knees.

"NO, everything is not alright! Get over here now!" Harry didn't wait for an answer before he moved away and began to pace back and forth in the room agitatedly.

Only a few seconds later Remus appeared and he was immediately dragged forcefully by Harry to the kitchen. Starting to get really worried Remus followed along, not wanting to make Harry even more agitated then he already was.

"Take a look Remus and tell me what you see!" Harry demanded after pulling the curtain to the side a bit so Remus could peek out. Almost immediately paling Remus pulled the curtain shut again and let his head drop against the curtain covered window. "Well?" Harry spoke up again, only a little calmer than before.

"Harry, this- I don't know. I haven't told anyone outside my family of you returning to Britain. How did they found you or more worryingly how did they even know you are back?" Remus sighed tiredly his shoulders slumping down. "I swear though Harry that it wasn't I that told anyone, please trust me on that! I would never betray you like that!"

Harry took a deep breath to calm his nerves. "I know, I know that it wasn't you but I had to ask anyway. Sorry Remus for worrying you and accusing you unfairly." Harry looked so worn down that Remus didn't have the heart to even stay irritated by the rough handling.

"It's fine Harry, if I were you then I wouldn't have acted any differently." Remus smiled slightly, knowing Harry's actions weren't just because of his hate for the media but because of his protective feelings for his young charges. "We have to figure out first how they found out that you were back, Harry. What I can think of just of a drop of a hat is the ministry, it's possible that they took a sample of your magical signature when you were young, perhaps after the attack by the dementors before your fifth year. They could have discovered you when you Apparated from Britain and back. It's just a theory but the most likely to be the one."

Harry nodded in agreement. "It sounds plausibly, I can't believe they still check for my signature. I can't believe I forgot that while I am protected inside the house it doesn't extend outside as well. I hate it that they found me but what to do now?" Harry grumbled.

Itachi then spoke up, reminding the older men that they weren't alone in the room. "Who are they and what exactly will happen now when they know where we are?" The ninja's voice was hard and intense. These people were threatening his new home and family, no one harmed his precious ones without him knowing and getting revenge, often ending with death.

Harry looked even more exhausted by the question, longing for his bed and never getting out of it again. "They are magical reporters and from what I can see from different papers as well. For what to do, I don't know Itachi, my brain isn't functioning right at this moment. They can't enter the lawn or house because of the wards but nothing is stopping them from staying on the curb and attacking us when leaving the house. _They _have a part in why I left this world and traveled to the elemental world." Harry bit out behind clenched teeth, most likely to stop swearing. _Those irritating insects…_

Deciding that nothing could be done at the moment the family sat down to eat a tense breakfast after saying goodbye to Remus who promise to come back later in the day. The boys had school to go to and nothing would stop them from attending, even if Harry was forced to Apparate them from the house to a hidden corner near the school every morning and then later in the day to pick them up.

The rude awakening of the media made Itachi realize that he had been lazing around a bit from training, he still trained together with the boys and Harry every day but he needed harder physical activity if he was going to improve and keep his body in shape. It also reminded him of his birthplace, he hadn't thought of the village in months and it made him feel a bit guilty. Not because he didn't miss his family but because he had always loved the village and he everything was alright, with the clans plans he could only hope his warnings to the Hokage was in time.

It wasn't just Itachi that trained harder following day, every one of them did. Itachi finally chose to not enter a dojo, his skills would probably wake too much attention. Instead he sought a job as a bodyguard and Harry got into contact with a security company for him and they specialized in hiring out guards for clubs and smaller celebrities. The job wouldn't wake too much attention but at the same time it would let him stay sharp. It helped that Itachi didn't look like a fourteen year old kid, with his hard and serious eyes and stern lines in his face.

Through it all as the days went by the media continued to haunt them day and night. The only bright point was that it didn't seem like they had succeeded to take a picture of Harry or the boys yet. Harry was obsessively reading the magical newspapers every day so he would know when they finally managed to capture him on a picture and to know what the magical people thought they knew. They only thing that really stood out was a short statement from a ministry worker that said they had a lead on where Harry Potter hid but couldn't reveal where because of security reasons, Harry snorted at that because he only needed to look out the window to know how much bullshit that was.

Still it seemed that public didn't really believe the paper or the ministry worker, Harry guessed from the paper that it had happened several times that someone came out and announced that they knew where the savior was purely to get attention. But what really worried Harry was the present of the media, if they thought it was an attention seeker again then why were they so persistent in stalking out the house? Did they know something more than what the paper did?

Harry was nearing his breaking point several times thanks to his more paranoid thoughts but thanks to his kids he managed to not blow them up. Privately Harry was a bit scared that the wizarding world was literally on his doorstep, there were very few people he could trust there and many more he could count as enemies.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX **

A few days later an unknown owl tapped on the closed window while the small family was eating breakfast an early Monday morning. Harry knew immediately that it wasn't from Remus or a newspaper bird, the regal air around the bird said it came from someone important and it made Harry hesitant to open the window. Frozen by the table Harry didn't have the time to react when Naruto happily skipped forward to open the window, wanting to meet another bird of Hedwig's species.

Harry could only sigh and then accept the letter from the bird that immediately flew over to him and lifted his right leg to make Harry untie the letter. The bird stole quickly a piece of bacon on his plate, ignoring the dark look he got from an irritated Hedwig sitting in the corner of the kitchen on her perch.

Rolling up the letter Harry begun to read it, the only thing sounding in the kitchen was the chattering from Naruto and Sasuke, who bickered about whom was to help Harry do the dishes today. Itachi was silent as usual but this time his silence was filled with tension and he watched Harry like a hawk, noticing every twitch of his face and rapidly paling face. He already hated the letter and its sender for making his current caretaker feel terrible.

Finally after what Itachi thought as enough time to read the letter he broke his silence. "Harry-san? What does it say?" His tone was carefully neutral.

Harry sought eye-contact with the powerful ninja and shook his head once in answer. Itachi immediately understood what he meant; the older man didn't want to speak in the presence of the children. So he let it go for the moment because he knew they would speak about it after the children had been settled in school.

An hour after the breakfast was finished and the children in school Itachi and Harry found themselves in the sitting room, each a cup of strong tea in their grasp. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Harry sighed heavily and begun to speak in a toneless tone.

"The ministry has demanded that I show up and explain myself as to why I have been away and where I have been hiding. They also expect me to reimburse them for the time I was away, not in money but in my service as the wizarding world pet hero." Harry sneered hatefully the last words.

"Of course they didn't write as much in the letter but the meaning was clear. They want me under their control again and they want my face and fame to further their agenda, whatever it is at the moment. The fact that I have successfully hid myself for several years is a blow to their pride and as such they want to seem like they knew all along where I was to the public." Harry sighed again and took a sip of his tea, almost shuddering at the strong taste before relaxing into his chair.

Meanwhile Itachi sat silence and complemented, the words hitting a little too close to home for his taste. His clan had wanted to control his whole life, from what he learned to whom he married and even when he died. He hadn't been allowed to be an individual, only a part of the clan, though his part was larger than most, but still a puppet for the elders in the clan to control. The fact that it was once again happening right in front of him, only this time to someone he had come to cherish deeply, perhaps even love in a father-son bond or sibling bond it was hard to tell which, made his so angry he didn't know what to do with himself.

"What are we going to do about it?" Itachi asked straight-faced, laying weight on the word we, determined not let the wizard think he was alone in the mess.

Harry sighed in weary amusement, seeing clearly how Itachi would not let him handle the situation alone. "I honestly don't know. I should have prepared for this, I should have known this would happen but I suppose I forgot how the wizarding world is a bunch of retarded idiots." Harry sighed again, pinching his nose in frustration.

"Do you have a time limit to answer the letter or show up in the ministry?" Itachi asked with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Not really, it only says 'at your convenience', which really means in their language as fast as possible." Harry snorted and leaned back with closed eyes in his armchair.

"Then we have time to plan." Itachi stated with a confident tone, making Harry open his eyes in surprise.

"Plan? You have any ideas?" The wizard asked a bit weary but curiously. Harry was always ready to listen to others plans, mainly because he couldn't plan a damn worth himself. If he had his way it would always be to act first, think later. And really, it didn't matter how much Hermione and surprisingly Ron nagged and scolded him for taking unnecessary risks, he wasn't going to change unless it put others in danger.

However as the years went by stained with dancing along the edge death for not only Harry but for the others as well, Harry had to change his approach to situations containing risks that with the smallest of mistakes could mean the death of a loved one. Still that didn't miraculously give Harry any skills at thinking up plans that didn't involve himself facing odds no one else would survive, either with their lives or minds intact. Harry used to think almost twice a day "thank merlin for Hermione and Ron" for their keen minds and knowledge.

Still being surrounded by the people he was, something had to stick and Harry could say he did get better, only charging ahead when he had no choice between being safe and risk his own life to save another. He would always save another, it was just who he was, and really he didn't want to change that. Because when he thought of how powerful he was and that his magic still was rising and wouldn't stop until his best years were over, if he didn't have his saving people syndrome, Harry was afraid of becoming someone he desperately didn't want to, a greedy, manipulator of a man who thought himself better than other people.

He knew, he knew that if he had uttered those thoughts to anyone in his family everyone would disagree and try to convince him that it couldn't happen. But Harry also knew that no man or woman started their life evil or a greedy politician, they become that way when exposed to power and control, it changed them and they weren't strong enough to stop it. Harry feared that someday he would also become infected and turn into something he hated and would be powerless to stop.

So he distanced himself from making plans, from controlling too much and letting others shine instead. Harry shifted his attention when he heard Itachi speaking again.

"You are not a dog, you do not come when someone whistle, especially not when for a reason like this. "Itachi said with steady eyes fixed on Harry. "From what I have gathered, you are a powerful wizard and have a significant power over many people in the wizarding world. You have been away for some time, but that kind of power does not just disappear."

Harry nodded wearily in agreement, wondering what Itachi was planning.

Itachi continued, ignoring the older man's expression of hesitation. "If you want the minister of your back and get the people on your side, you'll have to get ahold of your power and use it wisely. I don't mean to use it as something to hold over other people to make them do as you want but to make them see that you are more powerful and are kind enough to not use it to force them to do anything."

"The first step is to not answer the letter, it will make you look like you are responding to them as if they own you. Let them wait. The second step is to look like you are in control, which means you have to dress properly for you station and behave as if you belong there. The third step…."

Itachi continued as Harry leaned back into his chair wondering what he had unleashed when he asked for help.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**A month later…..**

Harry really didn't want Itachi as an enemy. Not only because he was the strongest human being he had ever met, but because his brain was even scarier. While setting up lessons on etiquette Itachi helped plan Naruto birthday party, which would be on October the tenth. Naruto hadn't wanted to travel and instead wished for his own birthday party with cake and presents. Seeing as the boy never had had one before Itachi and Harry quickly folded to the boy's demands. Only the Lupin family had been invited but Naruto had been happy, and even Sasuke had been on his best behavior. The party went off without a hitch, if one ignored the neon green painted walls and the food war that had started after the cake had been served.

After the party the really study could begin. Really, Harry had really tried to not to complain too much, but when he had to learn how to shake someone's hand in ten different ways he couldn't shut up.

Itachi had only giving him the look, which really shouldn't have worked on him, being an adult and all, but he quickly found himself blushing in embarrassment as if he were a child being scolded and working even harder.

Harry had never really cared for how he dressed or if he behaved according to certain rules. Still, if he had to suffer, then the rest of the house had too. It meant complaining and stubborn children that certainly didn't want to learn all those boring rules and according to them, useless. Unfortunately, Harry delighted in including them in his lessons, which were some taught by Remus but mostly by surprisingly Tonks who had learnt all she could from her mother, a daughter from the house of Black. Even if Tonks never really used that knowledge in her life her mother had made certain she knew them and would never forget.

Harry swore that Tonks took some sick delight in teaching them all as in revenge for all the lessons she had to suffer as young. Sasuke however had it easier then Harry and Naruto, mostly because he had grown up in a very strict household, even if it was in another world. Naruto though, who had never been exposed to such things because no one had taken the time to teach him anything, had a harder time to grasp the lessons. He made it very clear what he thought about it, loudly.

'He will get use of this in the future.' Harry chanted inside his head after fifth argument he and Naruto had had that day about the etiquette lessons. 'It's good for him, teaching him manners and all.' However, just thinking back to some of the lessons made his head hurt.

_Table lessons…._

"If you're seated at a table with eight or fewer guests, wait for everyone to be served and for the hostess to begin eating before you dig in. At a long banquet table, it's OK to start when several people are seated and served." Tonks said in a slightly bored tone, she was just about to continue when she was interrupted.

"But what if I am hungry? If I want to eat I will eat!" Naruto said determinately, mighty offended that he had to wait for _everyone_ to be seated before eating, a stupid rule. He conveniently only heard the first sentence and ignored the rest.

"Naruto." Harry stern voice made Naruto's shoulder hunch a bit but recovered lightning fast.

"But Dad! It's a stupid rule! What I am about to die and need food to survive? What if I die while waiting for everyone to sit at the table?" Naruto's wounded look would normally made Harry feel full of amusement but he just wasn't up to defend rules that even he didn't like or felt was really that important.

_At the door…._

"The first person to arrive at the door holds it open for the next person, it doesn't matter which gender." Tonks babbled on, not feeling the need to linger on common sense and presuming that everyone had already heard of that one.

"What, wait? Why would I wait for the next person? What if I don't like the next person? Can I shut the door in his face then?" Naruto interrupted, feeling offended that he had to play servant or something just because he was the fastest to the door. Didn't it mean that he was the fastest and best because he made it to the door first? Shouldn't the others hold the door open for him instead? Stupid rule!

"Naruto! What did you just say? Shut the door in his face!" Harry sighed in slight frustration, seeing from the corner of his eye Tonks inching away.

Naruto, knowing from the tone that he had said something bad quickly continued. "I was joking Dad! I wouldn't do that, honestly! But what it the other guy coming after me is super slow? Do I still have to wait to open the door for him?"

Harry only sighed and kept silent wishing for the day to end, but he knew the lessons would continue so it would only give him a night of peace, of only his dreams would leave him alone for once.

_When talking to another person….._

Tonks stood with a straight back as she lectured them on common courtesy when dealing with other human beings. She ignored every try to interrupt and only raised her voice slightly to make herself heard over the chatter.

"Don't **shout** - Keep your voice down."

Naruto. "But what if I am in another room and need help?"

"Don't **point** - it's rude."

Naruto. "But if I want to show Sasuke something and I don't know how to explain it?"

"Use **please** and **thank you."**

Naruto. "Do I have to? What if the person is rude to me?"

"Don't **interrupt** - it's selfish and ill-mannered."

Naruto. "But have seen a lot of people interrupting each other and no one told them it ill-mannered! Can only some people interrupt others without punishment?"

"Show **respect** for those older and wiser than yourself."

Naruto. "But what if-"For once Naruto was interrupted.

"Enough, I can't take it anymore! I am going mad! I need a few days to calm down and recover. Good BYE!" Tonks ran towards the fireplace, tripping twice on the rug and then disappeared into the brightly burning green flames.

The silence the room was thick and the "students" glanced at each other. Suddenly everyone was laughing hysterically, holding their arms around their stomachs and a few tears managed to squeeze through shut eyes. Only Itachi managed to hold onto some composure, only letting a few chuckles out. They needed every lesson them could get, but still a few days' vacation sounded heavenly even to him. Only Naruto's comments made the whole ordeal bearable.

It took a few long minutes before all managed to calm down and Harry begun to make dinner while still chuckling occasionally, remembering easily Tonks hilarious face.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

While everything seemed to be alright and moving the right direction Harry couldn't fully enjoy the feeling of having a full house and a family again. All because of the pain, the slowly rising pain coursing through his body almost daily. It was now in the beginning of November and Harry wondered how long he would stand it.

Sometimes, but only sometimes, it hurt so much that he wanted to curl up into a ball and die. Most often in the first waking hours in the morning. It felt like he had a living _thing_ inside his body and it was taking a bite of everything. A few times it had been a pure agony and Harry never wanted to leave his warm and comfortable bed. For the past weeks had the pain of this intensity overcome him in the mornings, but only after having a dream about his mate.

Had he been a weaker man or not gotten used to the pain as it become more painful over a longer time he would have thrown in the towel some time ago. It begun to really hurt from the moment he had returned to his own world after adopting Naruto. He had felt no pain when he had lived in the elemental land. When he thought back even further though, Harry realized it had already started when he began to feel that something was missing. It had started as an itch and grew from that he remembered. Soul-mate bond, Remus had said, mates that could live without each other but not just as happy with anyone else.

This however was agony and Harry wondered briefly how long he could survive it. He knew that Itachi and Remus knew that he was sick or something alike, not just what. Remus hadn't considered the bond as the cause as far as Harry knew and Itachi he didn't know what he thought. Thankfully Harry had managed to hide the worse from the children. They only knew that he had good days and bad days sometimes.

The first month in Harry's home world had been a relative pain free month, with the reunion of Itachi and his brother, school and bonding as a family. They had really begun to become a family in the first months and the bond between them had only since then become stronger. Remus and his family had become an extended family and Remus was called by Naruto and Sasuke, Uncle Remus.

After the first violent fights between the boys over various silly things they had become a tight knit group, never keeping out of contact for long. They had truly become like brothers and it warmed Harry's heart to see it. Harry also knew that Itachi was happy for his brother and Itachi had also found a kind of kindred soul in Remus and Harry. All three of them had an enormous strength, had killed and all were afraid that someday they were going to accidentally hurt someone they loved.

Because Itachi was so close to both Harry and Remus it had long for him to find out about the potential soul-mate bond. He had been surprised and a little wary in the beginning but nothing would hinder him from helping his savior and close friend. Harry had reassured him that he would not suffer heath wise from the unfinished bond and that he was fine with it. Itachi hadn't been satisfied with that of course, and had pushed until he had all information the older men knew or thought he knew.

Harry had been ashamed when Itachi finally confronted the wizard about his sick days. Harry hated that he had made the young man worry for him and not had told him until he pressed for answers.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

_Harry had just left to drop of the kids at school and Itachi had decided that today would be the day he would get his answers. He had ordered the house-elves to not disturb them, only interfering if Harry seemed to make an escape from the room before Itachi was satisfied._

_When the older man arrived home Itachi lured the man into the sitting room with the offer of tea and what he knew to be the man's favorite biscuits. Harry had easily agreed, feeling tired from a recent pain attack, this time feeling like it had originated from his right leg oddly enough. The pain attacks almost never appeared on the same spots twice in a row, Harry couldn't make heads or tails of it. _

_He gladly sunk down into the chair, feeling the warmth seep in. He was just reaching for a delicious chocolate biscuit when the door was locked shut. He wouldn't have thought much of it, perhaps it had been the wind from an open window, if not for the intense stare down he felt being directed at him._

"_Itachi?"_

_Itachi didn't waste time with small talk and went straight for it. "I know you have secrets that you wish to hide from everyone, even Remus. If that secret wasn't harmful for either you or the others I wouldn't say anything but it isn't, isn't it?"_

_Harry swallowed deeply, understanding suddenly that he had walked willingly into a trap for little tea and biscuits. He sighed and lowered his eyes in slight shame._

"_Tell me." The order would have seemed strict and harsh if not for the concerned ton in Itachi voice._

_Harry sighed again and decided to stop keeping secrets from the intelligent young man before him, clearly it was useless. _

**_XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX_**

Finally reassured that it hadn't permanently hurt Harry yet Itachi left it alone for the time being and didn't speak about it unless it seemed to get worse. It seemed to be fine after Harry reported that he hadn't felt the pain attacks in a few weeks.

However as the months passed Harry's condition begun to go down, it hadn't happened terribly fast or very noticeably, but still steadily declining. It puzzled them all, Harry couldn't understand why, he ate, slept and trained, both in the etiquette lesson and fighting lessons every day, he should have been in top condition. The few hours of sleep he went without because of the dreams shouldn't have affected his health at all.

It had begun slowly as the rest, he had felt a little more tired at the end of the day and his energy disappeared a little faster than before. At the same time an ache and itch had begun to make itself known, Harry had ignored it, it didn't really hurt like the other pain attacks and he could only be coming down with a cold or something.

However as it begun to become worse Harry began to have doubts. Christmas and New Year had gone past and it was just the beginning of February that he had been having trouble getting out of the bed in the morning. He just felt so tired despite sleeping all night and his entire body ached something fierce, every move he made sent a spiral of pain through his body.

It was becoming more and more difficult to hide his condition from the boys, they were clever kids and against Harry's wishes already suspected something wasn't right with him. Convincing Itachi to help him hide his problems from them had taken some time and had him begging a few times as well. But he had agreed, he didn't want them to worry.

Because they couldn't just go to an ordinary doctor or go to Saint Mungos, Remus, Tonks and Itachi decided to find the problem themselves and fix it. It was of course easier said than done. At least the problem with the minister had been solved at least. Harry didn't want to think of the energy that it had taken to just speak with the arrogant man. Still it had been funny how flustered the man had become when Harry hadn't reacted like the man had thought he would.

Harry could still remember the day like it had been yesterday…..

* * *

**To be continued….**

**I am really sorry for the long wait. Half a year? I am ashamed at myself but I have had a major writer block about how I am going to write the meeting with the minister. It's supposed to show Harry's new knowledge of etiquette but still be funny. **

**Any tips would be really helpful!**

**I know it's a short chapter, but it's better than nothing right? Right?**

**Well I am out for tonight…**

**Next chapter: **_Wait what? Forced to what?_

**~~Gloriosa Lily~~**

12


End file.
